Hudson Technologies has been selected as one of two refrigerant reclaimers to participate in the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) new REFRESH pilot program, aimed at increasing recovery and reclamation of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in residential HVAC systems.
The REFRESH (Refrigerant F-gas Reclamation Support for Home HVAC) pilot program will establish a direct collaboration between Hudson and HVAC contractors involved in the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Statewide Direct Install program. Hudson will purchase recovered HFCs and HCFCs for reclamation and will also train participating technicians in best practices for safe and efficient refrigerant recovery.
Administered by the North American Sustainable Refrigerant Council (NASRC), the program is funded by CARB’s F-gas Reduction Incentive Program (FRIP), which supports the adoption of climate-friendly refrigerant technologies and emission reduction strategies. Up to $5 million in FRIP funding has been allocated to support refrigerant buyback as well as administrative and labor costs under the REFRESH initiative.
Kate Houghton, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Hudson Technologies, stated: “We are very pleased to have been selected as a partner for CARB’s groundbreaking REFRESH program. CARB and the state of California are longstanding proponents of the adoption of recovery and reclamation processes and technology with the goal of reducing emissions from existing refrigerants while the industry conducts an orderly transition to the use of next-generation lower GWP refrigerants and equipment.”
The REFRESH pilot is scheduled to launch in early 2026.
