- Stringent environmental regulations : International conventions like the Kigali Amendment and the EU's F-Gas Regulation require the phase-out of high-GWP synthetic refrigerants. For example, the EU plans to ban the use of HFCs in split air conditioners from 2035, and China also clearly promotes natural refrigerants such as R290. As a natural refrigerant with a very low GWP of 1, CO2 has become the preferred alternative.
- High energy efficiency : Transcritical CO2 cooling systems are much more energy-efficient than older cooling technologies, enabling operators to save at least 20% on energy costs.
- Reduced costs : Although CO2 requires special components as a high-pressure refrigerant, the recent significant changes in refrigerant availability and cost have made the refrigerant itself much cheaper than most alternatives. Moreover, the volumetric refrigeration capacity of CO2 is 5-10 times higher than that of conventional refrigerants, requiring a much smaller charge, as well as smaller components and pipe dimensions, which saves money on copper and insulation materials.
- Increased market acceptance : According to a Danfoss survey, 82% of OEMs and 91% of consultants and end-users in the commercial refrigeration industry consider CO2 a viable mainstream refrigeration technology. About half of the responding OEMs expect CO2 refrigeration to account for at least 16% of their business in the next five years.
- Continuous technological progress : Some companies of commercial Refrigeration are constantly developing energy-efficient CO2 systems. The latest CO2 Oltec Evo system uses patented ejector technology, which can increase energy savings by 30% annually, overcoming the challenges in both cold and warm climates.