The ATMOsphere Podcast Network

U.S.-based manufacturer Lync by Watts has provided a commercial CO2 (R744) air-source heat pump system for domestic hot water at a new-build apartment complex in Amherst, Massachusetts.The 90-unit building is described by its developer as “the first all-electric living community in downtown Amherst.” The building’s developers sought a heat pump that could function in ambient temperatures as low as 0°F (−17°C) but struggled to find equipment that fit the bill. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The technology for natural refrigerant solutions across 99.9% of HVAC&R systems already exists and is mature enough for large-scale deployment, according to Armin Hafner, a Professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).Bottlenecks in widespread adoption include market acceptance, end-user awareness and a shortage of skilled engineers and technicians, Hafner told Jan Dusek, Co-Founder and COO of ATMOsphere, in an interview at the 17th IIR-Gustov Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants (GL 2026)Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Panasonic HVAC & CC, part of the Japan-based Panasonic group, has launched its CO2 (R744) outdoor condensing units (OCUs) in Singapore, with the first installation operating at the Sheng Siong Rivervale Mall store in Sengkang.The Singapore lineup comprises six factory-assembled models from 2 to 20HP, with an ambient operating range of −20 to 45°C (−4 to 113°F) and low- and medium-temperature (LT/MT) options.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

At DeCicco & Sons’ Sleepy Hollow store, Flō Energy Solutions’ HVAC unit, equipped with a CO2 (R744) direct expansion (DX) coil, is returning 60°F (16°C) refrigerant to the store’s transcritical CO2 rack even in summer, according to Niel Hayes, Senior Research and Development Engineer at Hillphoenix.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The chemical industry for decades produced f-gas refrigerants (CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs) with very high GWPs – hundreds if not thousands of times that of CO2 (R744)’s GWP of one – thereby contributing to the crisis of global warming that led to heat waves across Europe and other regions this summer.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Iceland-based Kælitækni installed natural refrigerant products in 2025 that avoided the lifetime release of 122,500 metric tons of CO2e (GWP 20) and 7.2 metric tons of TFA (trifluoroacetic acid), according to estimations by ATMOsphere, the publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com.The calculation was done as part of the process for approving Kælitækni for the ATMO Approved Natural Refrigerants LabelRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

In partnership with German energy utility provider RheinEnergie, Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe, part of the Ardagh Group, is installing two ammonia (R717) heat pumps as part of a 3.5MW (995.2TR) system to decarbonize heating at its Obernkirchen facility.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced the final program for the ATMO MAC Summit 2026 × TU Berlin, which will feature presentations from Ford, Tata Motors and Volkswagen.Ford and Volkswagen are returning presenters, having spoken about their research and work with propane (R290) and CO2 (R744) MAC systems, respectively, at previous ATMO MAC Summits.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Working with Californian Hanabi Lager Company, Pro Refrigeration is testing the viability of a CO2 (R744) chiller for small breweries and determining its potential return on investment (ROI) by comparing it with an R454C chiller operating at RD Winery.Pro Refrigeration installed a roughly 20.8TR (73TR) CO2 system, powered by two 25HP Dorin compressors, at Hanabi’s facility in Napa Valley. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The articles in the podcast are as follows:ATMO America 2027 Is Set for June 16–17 in New York CityEnvironmental Groups Urge U.S. EPA to Reject HFO Coolant for Data CentersAustralia Considering New HFC RestrictionsInterview: Vapor Sensor Control Could Cut Part-Load Energy Use by Roughly 40%, Says HB Products ManagerMitsubishi Heavy Industries Develops Ultra-Low-Temperature Nitrogen Brine Chiller

Besides what we published this week, these stories caught our attention.Italy and UNEP Offer Up to $1 Million for Sustainable Cooling ProjectsEnrad to Provide R290 Heat Pumps to Schiphol AirportSLB Acquires Kelvion for $3.4 BillionQvantum Replaces Biomass Boiler at 13th Century U.K. Church with R290 Heat PumpsFrascold Releases New Ammonia and CO2 CompressorsRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Corporation (MHI-AC&R) has developed a “compact” ultra-low-temperature (ULT) nitrogen (R728) indirect brine chiller, providing temperatures from −100 to −40°C (−148 to −40°F).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

A coalition of 17 environmental organizations, led by Earthjustice, has ⁠submitted comments⁠ to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging it to not approve Opteon 2P50, an HFO made by Chemours that can be used as a liquid cooling agent for heat-generating servers in data centers.⁠Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com⁠

Working with contracting partner Kreutzträger Kältetechnik, TEKO Refrigeration has delivered an approximately 2.9MW (824.6TR) CO2 (R744) refrigeration system for German meat-processing and convenience-food manufacturer Kampsen & Co’s Cloppenburg facility.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

American manufacturer A. O. Smith has released a new CO2 (R744) split heat pump water heater (HPWH) for the U.S. market designed for use in cold climates.Dubbed Voltex X, the new unit has a heating capacity of 4.5kW (1.2TR) and was designed in partnership with Panasonic, which manufactures commercial and residential propane (R290) heat pumps and recently released a residential CO2 heat pump water heater in Australia. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is considering new HFC restrictions that could include measures targeting pre-charged equipment.The DCCEEW will publish the draft standards in September, which the public can provide feedback on. Those interested in sharing their opinion can sign up for the IChEMS mailing list by writing to [email protected] the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced that the ATMOsphere (ATMO) America Summit 2027 will be held in New York City June 16–17.The 16th edition of the conference will bring together leading voices from across the HVAC&R sector to explore the growing business opportunities behind the transition to clean cooling and heating, with sessions focusing on refrigeration, heat pumps and HVAC.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Vapor sensor control could cut energy consumption by roughly 40% for part-load refrigeration operation compared to self-regulating systems designed for full-load efficiency, according to Henrik Kudsk, Product Manager at HB Products.The Danish component manufacturer produces sensors for industrial and commercial refrigeration and heat pump applications, primarily serving large-scale systems with capacities of 500kW (142.2TR) or more. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Besides what we published this week, these stories stood out to us.Panasonic Brings CO2 Condensing Units to SingaporeClivet R290 Heat Pump Installed in Historic U.K. HomeWieland Announces Expansion of Ohio Production FacilityPipelife Releases Residential Indoor R290 Heat Pump for Irish MarketRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The articles in the podcast are as follows:IIAR Seeks to Streamline U.S. Safety Rules for Ammonia RefrigerationBeijer Ref Acquires RefraInterview: Snowman Group Is the Next Chinese Company with Big Ambitions for the Natural Refrigerants IndustryIV Produkt Launches Air-Handling Unit with Next-Generation ThermoCooler HP, Available with R290KIMM Demonstrates Ammonia-Based Adsorption Heat Pump for Cooling Using 40°C Waste Heat

A task force launched last year by the International Institute of All-Natural Refrigeration (IIAR) has begun discussions with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address overlap in the agency’s ris management program (RMP) regulations for ammonia (R717) refrigeration with the process safety management (PSM) regulations overseen by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The Korean Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has demonstrated an ammonia-based adsorption heat pump capable of using waste heat as low as 40°C (104°F) for cooling, according to Young Kim, a principal researcher at the government-funded institution.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

China’s place in the natural refrigerants industry has historically been as a manufacturing hub – somewhere European companies turn to in order to scale their product lines. While China is still a global production stronghold, it is also home to increasingly ambitious companies that are aiming to make their own mark on the HVAC&R industry.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Swedish HVAC manufacturer IV Produkt has launched its next-generation ThermoCooler HP reversible heat pump integrated into an Envistar Flex air-handling unit (AHU), available with propane (R290) or the synthetic refrigerant R454C.The integrated heat pump provides space heating and cooling in a single unit for commercial and public-sector applications, including hospitals, hotels, offices, schools and shopping centers, according to IV Produkt.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

German bakery wholesale supplier BÄKO Süd-West has acquired two Mercedes-Benz eActros 400s refrigerated delivery trucks equipped with ECOOLTEC’s electrically operated TM182 transport refrigeration unit, which uses propylene (R1270) and CO2 (R744).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Beijer Ref has acquired Refra, a Lithuanian manufacturer of chillers, refrigeration systems and heat pumps using natural refrigerants.The Sweden-based Beijer Ref said it has acquired 90% of Refra, which it said has an annual turnover of approximately SEK 500 million (€45 million/$52 million).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

A single CO2 heat pump from Flow Environmental Systems replaced 27 rooftop HVAC units with a combined cooling capacity of nearly 197TR (693kW) at St. Paul Steamfitters/Pipefitters Union (Local 455)’s 100,000ft2 (9,290m2) training facility, according to Training Director Jeremy McConkey.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

In addition to what we published this week, these stories caught our attention.Madison Air Solution Set to Acquire ebm-papstDierberg’s Opens Grocery Store with CO2 Refrigeration SystemA.O. Smith Releases New CO2 Hot Water Heat Pump for the U.S.German Glass Packaging Manufacturer to Install 3.5MW of Ammonia Heat PumpsRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The articles in the podcast are as follows:NRDC Outlines Case Against Revision of EPA’s Technology Transitions RuleRivacold CO2 CDUs and R290 Monoblocs Enable Sustainable Retrofit at Vermont Food Co-opATMO LATAM 2027 Is Set for April 19–20 in Santiago de ChileMitsubishi Heavy Industries Provides 90kW CO2 Heat Pump System for Adagio Hotel in LondonStudy Finds Leakage of CCl4 Used as HFO Feedstock Could Delay Ozone Layer Recovery

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a global environmental NGO, has outlined the case against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s revision of the Technology Transitions Rule on HFC emissions announced in May.The revision (or “reconsideration”) of the Technology Transitions Rule extends compliance deadlines by several years for the use of much lower GWP refrigerants in supermarket systems, remote condensing units and cold storage warehouses, among other changes.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has installed a 90kW (25.5TR) CO2 (R744) air-source heat pump to provide domestic hot water for an Adagio Hotel location in London. The newly built hotel is in London’s Whitechapel neighborhood and comprises 140 units. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

A global consortium of researchers has found that ozone-depleting substances (ODS) such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and HCFC-22, used as feedstocks to produce HFOs, are leaking at rates much higher than previously believed, causing a delay in the repair of the ozone layer.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

A mix of Rivacold CO2 (R744) condensing units (CDUs) and propane (R290) monoblocs is supporting the sustainable retrofit of Brattleboro Food Co-op’s Vermont grocery store, according to Sam Major, General Manager at refrigeration contractor Turner Piping.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced that ATMOsphere (ATMO) LATAM 2027 will be held in Santiago de Chile, Chile, April 19–20.ATMO LATAM 2027 will gather key industry experts, including manufacturers, policymakers, end users and contractors, to learn about the latest market and technology trends in natural refrigerant-based HVAC&R systems, including those using CO2 (R744), hydrocarbons and ammonia (R717). The tentative program for ATMO LATAM 2027 can be seen here, and registration will open soon. Read the full article on NaturalRefrigerants.com

U.K.-based gas detection equipment manufacturer International Gas Detectors (IGD) has developed two new portable gas detectors in its BELL product line: the BELL LITE and BELLMINI, which can detect leaks of CO2 (R744) and ammonia (R717) among other gases.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on July 21 that he is co-leading a coalition of 18 state attorneys general and two localities in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), challenging its revision of the Technology Transitions Rule on HFC emissions announced in May.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

In addition to what we published this week, these stories caught our eye.Carrier Donates CO2 Transport Refrigeration Units to TU BerlinEbm-papst to Bring Its Propane Turbo Compressor to the Rail SectorLU-VE Provides New Air Coolers for New CO2 Cold Storage Facility in ChinaMadagascar Ratifies the Kigali AmendmentRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The use of transcritical CO2 (R744) refrigeration systems and self-contained hydrocarbon display cases – mostly propane (R290) – continues to climb in Latin America, according to ATMOsphere’s 2025 report “Refrigeration: Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration with Natural Refrigerants.”Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Canadian manufacturer Vitalis has supplied an 185kW (52.7TR) transcritical CO2 (R744) Roxsta G6 refrigeration system for installation at a Pennsylvania food processing plant.The system, dedicated to low-temperature (LT) application, will blast-freeze steamed dumplings at an evaporating temperature of −42°C (−44°F) at the Bethlehem facility, Luke Redd, Head of Marketing at Vitalis, told NaturalRefrigerants.com.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Work on the 150MW (42,651TR) ammonia (R717)-based district heating plant in Cologne, Germany, has entered the main construction phase, with commissioning scheduled for 2028, according to manufacturer Everllence (formerly MAN Energy Solutions).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

SK Bioscience’s new global biopharmaceutical research and process development center in Songdo, South Korea, features eight CO2 (R744) condensing units (CDUs) from Italian manufacturer SCM Frigo, providing 93.8kW (26.7TR) of cooling capacity for pharmaceutical storage.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 26 a proposed rule to monitor 30 contaminants that are not currently regulated but may be present in drinking water, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a byproduct of some HFOs. The proposed rule entered the Federal Register on July 1.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

In addition to what we published this week, these stories caught our eye.South Korean Researchers Develop R717 Adsorption Heat Pump Designed for 40°C Heat SourcesBluu unit Acquires Data Center Solutions Provider Prior 1German Bakery Wholesale Supplier Chooses ECOOLTEC TM182 TRURhoss Announces New Commercial Propane Heat Pumps and ChillersSanhua Releases SEK KitRead the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the EU agency that provides independent scientific advice on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain, announced on July 22 that it has significantly lowered health-based guidance values for trifluoracetic acid (TFA), indicators of what is considered a safe level in daily food, beverage and drinking-water consumption.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

GEA, a German-based large-scale refrigeration manufacturer, has installed a 2.4MW (682TR) ammonia (R717) refrigeration system at a new Betko fruit storage facility in Sunnyside, South Africa.Betko grows, stores and ships approximately 65,000 metric tons of apples and pears annually, exporting them to around 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the U.K. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

NVIDIA has developed a new generation of AI servers dubbed Rubin that can be cooled by liquid at 45°C (113°F).Rubin uses cold plates for cooling; they sit on top of the processor and extract heat via a fluid mixture that is 75% water and 25% propylene glycol. The fluid enters the cold plate at 45°C and exits at 55°C (131°F).Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

There are thousands of Alfa Laval heat exchangers installed in data centers across the world. The installed base is large, and each year the industry adds hundreds of large gasketed plate heat exchangers alongside thousands of compact brazed units, according to Anna Blomborg, Head of Data Centers at the company.Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

Controller-equipped Güntner air coolers and gas coolers support a 3.5MW (995TR) CO2 (R744) refrigeration system at a new logistics center in Montalto Uffugo, Italy, according to Stefano Vidal, the company’s Italy Division Manager of Heat Exchanger Sales.Working together, Italian manufacturer Arneg and German-based Güntner developed energy-efficient solutions for the CO2 refrigeration system serving the 49,000m2 (527,400ft2) facility in southern Italy. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com

The articles in the podcast are as follows:Interview: China Will Be the World’s Leading Market for Natural Refrigerant Systems, Says ArkRef’s CEOEbm-papst Builds Commercial Heat Pump Demonstration Unit Featuring Its Propane Turbo CompressorUse of Natural Refrigerants Expanding Across South Africa Retail and LogisticsUNIDO Secures $14 Million to Phase Out F-Gases Worldwide, Which Includes Projects to Transition to Natural RefrigerantsThe Expert Opinion: When You Switch to Natural Refrigerants, Your Temperature Monitoring Needs to Switch Too

In addition to what we published this week, these stories caught our eye.Enex Releases 2025 Sustainability ReportFenagy and SCM Frigo See ‘Record-High Growth’Rivacold Provides 1.6MW CO2 Refrigeration System for Italian Logistics CenterFrauenhofer ISE Develops R290 Heat Pump Concepts for Multi-Family Homes⁠Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com⁠