New Report Lists NatRef Products for All Applications

The EIA’s ‘Pathway to Net-Zero: Cooling Product List’ offers the HVAC&R end user a guide to commercially available net-zero products.

The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has published new report that offers a first-of-its-kind look at energy-efficient natural refrigerant-based HVAC&R products from around the world for all applications. 

The report – Pathway to Net-Zero: Cooling Product List – was developed with assistance from the ClimateWorks Foundation to support the “Climate Action Pathway for Net-Zero Cooling,” an initiative launched in 2020  by the the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) High Level Champions. Product research for the list was conducted by shecco, publisher of this website.

"The development and expansion of net-zero cooling is a critical part of our Race to Zero emissions,” said Nigel Topping, U.K. High Level Climate Champion for COP26.

The product list, designed demonstrate the feasibility of urgent action, provides a selection of products across all major cooling sectors. It offers a unique focus on ultra-low GWP natural refrigerants alongside appliance energy efficiency to help businesses, governments and consumers around the globe make sustainable cooling choices.

“In addition to technological breakthroughs and ambitious legislation, we also need sustainable consumer purchasing to help deliver wholesale systems change, and as such I welcome the EIA cooling products guide as an important contribution to accelerating the race," said Topping.

“The product list provides evidence that natural refrigerant solutions are viable alternatives available to the cooling sector as it transitions along the pathway to net-zero emissions,” said Fionnuala Walravens of EIA, who was involved with putting this report together. “While the focus of this report is on vapor compression cooling appliances, we recognize that adoption of not-in-kind cooling solutions, such as passive cooling and holistic city and building planning, will play a key role toward net-zero cooling.”

Sectors covered in this report are domestic, commercial, industrial and mobile air-conditioning; domestic, industrial, commercial and transport refrigeration; and domestic, commercial and industrial heat pumps. Information on how to avoid the use of cooling and reduce energy consumption of existing equipment is also provided.

“While this product list showcases numerous commercially available products, we find that access to net-zero cooling products varies regionally and across the sectors,” added Walravens. It is hampered, she added, by various factors including inadequate government policies, poor energy performance standards, higher product costs, outdated building and product regulations, and a lack training for service and installation personnel.

Detailed information about the products on this list is also available on EIA’s searchable net-zero cooling product list database, on this website.

By Ilana Koegelenberg (@Ilana_Ed)

Mar 29, 2021, 18:04




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