Gathering for the first time in Brussels since the EU F-Gas Regulation came into force, ATMOsphere Europe 2015 was the largest to date, with over 230 participants and 60 presenters, including government representatives, technology providers and end-users. Industrial solutions manufacturers Mayekawa and Johnson Controls presented case studies on ammonia heat pumps for hot water production and refrigeration optimisation in food processing applications. In the Market Trends session, Mayekawa looked at the drivers and challenges affecting natural refrigerants in industrial refrigeration and heat pumps.

Put into today’s European context, Eric Delforge of Mayekawa pointed out in the Market Trends session that the carbon-energy security debate, the different policies in European countries regarding the production and distribution of electricity, and the future outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris later this year, are all factors contributing to mainstreaming the use of natural refrigerants. But the most prominent factor driving the business at this stage is the recently enforced EU F-Gas Regulation, requiring a reduction in the average GWP of refrigerants from 2000 to 400 by 2030. Outside of Europe, the US and China are also picking up momentum: “Europe is an inspiration to the rest of the world with regards to natural refrigerants,” says Delforge.

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