The Atmosphere natural refrigerants conference highlighted the sector’s rapid development and supply chain concerns. Andrew Gaved reports.
It can now probably legitimately describe itself as an ‘industry’, thanks in no small part to the ambition of supermarkets across Europe whose appetite for CO2 systems has created a high demand, particularly in transcritical systems.
RAC is media partner for what is now an influential event among technology specialists and policy-makers alike, as it has become abundantly clear that natural refrigerants will play a major role in the low-carbon future of refrigeration.
We believe as a magazine that a key role for us is to point people towards such solutions, while keeping a necessary perspective – ensuring that refrigerants are chosen for their practical feasibility and their energy efficiency as well as their global warming potential, and emphasising the importance of containment across the existing estates.
Coming loud and clear from the succession of speakers from both sides of the supply chain at Atmosphere was a consistent set of messages.
Firstly, it is clear that natural solutions are now the definitive solution for many major end-users, who are spurred on by concerns over carbon reduction.
There is a feeling among European retailers in particular that they consider the technology to have proved itself now.
Secondly, this demand is set to be accelerated as customers take on board the HFC phase-down proposed in the F-Gas review – which was still in its draft form at the time of the conference but has now been published – see pages 4-5.
But thirdly, there are concerns from the customer side that the supply chain needs to work more closely together with them in order to really embed natural technology in the industry.
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