As the permanent and temporary refrigeration industries seek to replace refrigerants that are not environmentally friendly, the options right now are few and far between. However, there is promise with a new line of refrigerants based on carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2-based refrigerants are extremely friendly to the environment while also being reasonably productive compared to more traditional products. Some big-name companies that most of us would probably recognise are already using these refrigerants.
It is no secret that European stakeholders are preparing for a future without certain types of refrigerants and some of the technologies that have provided the cold storage capacity we have needed for a productive cold chain. We have seen the European Union begin devising and implementing strategies for this future. Now the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) has stepped up with an announcement of their new plan for taking the heating and cooling industry into the future as part of the EU Energy Union framework.