DC's new refrigerant recovery pilot is a win for contractors

Energy rebate programs are ripe for innovation. In 2025, the District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) and Hudson Technologies launched the nation’s first refrigerant recovery and reclamation (RR&R) pilot program. The pilot helps heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) contractors recover high-global-warming-potential refrigerants during equipment replacements, preventing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while creating a new revenue opportunity for participating contractors.

Rather than focusing solely on energy savings, the pilot tackles a major source of non‑energy GHG emissions by incentivizing proper refrigerant recovery at the end of the equipment’s life—an area where recovery rates have historically been low. The program pairs free contractor training and clear recovery guidance with streamlined logistics and tiered financial incentives to reduce barriers that have traditionally discouraged recovery efforts.

Ben Burdick, Managing Director of the DCSEU, shares more on early results and the pilot’s strategic approach to delivering meaningful climate benefits in the HVACR market. 

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Image Courtesy of the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) via Kalen Na’il Roach