COMPRESSORS
Future-proofing refrigeration
It is a time for change in the refrigeration sector, with awareness around sustainability and energy efficiency continuing to drive ever-tightening legislation. With OEMs needing to innovate in order to meet these demands, the spotlight has moved onto a unit’s component parts, and whether changes can be made to ensure a greener future. With that in mind, Nicol Low, chief operating officer at Vert Technologies, explores how new compressor technologies can help organisations move to low- GWP refrigerants without compromising on efficiency and performance.
T
hough the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the news agenda for well over a year, the global drive to
implement more environmentally friendly technologies and practices continues. Refrigeration is not exempt from such pressures, with legislation and regulations being continually introduced to encourage the innovation of sustainable solutions. A number of large, multinational companies
are at the forefront of this effort, with research and ongoing innovations understandably being kept under wraps for the time being. Yet we do not need to know about yet-to-be-unveiled technologies to identify the trends that have driven research in this area. The refrigeration sector is currently
responsible for around 15 percent of peak global electricity demand. Such huge numbers, posted at a time where energy efficiency is a key priority across a number of industries,
34 May 2021
makes reducing consumption a necessity for the refrigeration sector. The pressure to do so dovetails with additional, wider concerns around the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Specifically, the refrigeration sector must
contend with restrictive regulations introduced to curb the use of HFCs and other compounds. This includes the Kigali Agreement, which further curtails their use, and its antecedent, the Montreal Protocol, which previously outlawed chlorofluorocarbons. The impact of these events has put the refrigeration sector in a position where technological innovation is becoming increasingly mandatory if companies are to remain legislatively compliant. Complementing the international impact of the Kigali Agreement and Montreal Protocol is the domestic introduction of the F-Gas ban in 2020. The ban, which extends to the EU, remains a major talking point across the refrigeration sector and beyond, outlaws any
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