LAUSR

Abstract The changing legislative landscape for fluorinated refrigerants is underpinning the market trends for natural refrigerants in various sectors globally. This article outlines the main market, technology and policy trends for the evolution of CO2-based systems primarily in commercial and industrial refrigeration. In commercial refrigeration, CO2 transcritical is quickly becoming the mainstream technology for new stores, with over 20,000 stores using this technology globally today. In Europe, CO2-based supermarkets account for 14% of total food retail stores (over 400 m2). In Japan, CO2 condensing units have been a well-established technology since many years with more than 10,200 units running in the market by the end of 2018. Growing competition in CO2 for commercial refrigeration seen in different parts of the world is expected to result in cost reduction. CO2 is also making inroads in the industrial sector and for ice rink applications, competing with the use of ammonia as a low-GWP solution.