Epta – Independent global player and leader specialised in commercial refrigeration –welcomes the new European Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases, while celebrating 3,000 CO2 installations worldwide. This document acknowledges natural refrigeration, a cornerstone of the Group’s technologies, as the best solution to minimise the environmental impact of the whole industry.
The new legislative milestone, published on February 20th 2024 in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) and formally effective starting from March 11th, mandates the complete phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2050, with a gradual decrease in consumption quotas, particularly notable from 2024 to 2030.
The restrictions and prohibitions outlined in the approved text, aiming to redefine the technological landscape of refrigeration, represent a significant step towards the continent’s climate neutrality, in line with the ambitious goals established by the Green Deal.
EPTA: SUSTAINABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT
Epta naturally takes a forefront stance, setting new standards for the entire industry in support of the recent regulatory framework, increasingly aimed at combating climate change.
As a pioneer in the design and development of high-performance technologies based on natural refrigerants such as hydrocarbons and CO2, Epta boasts the distinction of having been the first to implement a CO2 system in Europe in 1999 in Sweden, combining sustainability with energy efficiency.
Epta’s strategic choice, which has proven successful, has enabled the Group to anticipate market trends and introduce innovations that offer clear and quantifiable benefits. The natural refrigerants employed in Epta’s refrigeration systems not only have an environmental impact 4,000 times lower than the commonly used hydrofluorocarbons but also guarantee superior efficiency, resulting in energy savings over 20%. This is a significant value considering that refrigeration is one of the most energy-intensive sectors, accounting for 40% of the energy consumption of a medium-sized supermarket.
“Epta’s technological leadership goes beyond regulatory compliance, aiming to promote innovation towards sustainability for the entire sector” states Francesco Mastrapasqua, Institutional Affairs Manager at Epta, who continues “As a Green Transition Enabler, Epta leads the transition towards natural refrigeration through the collaboration with institutions and industry associations to support Clients in facing future challenges, combining excellent performance with environmental and economic sustainability“.
THE FUTURE OF NATURAL REFRIGERATION IS NOW
Thanks to the complementarity of its brands, Epta offers a wide range of products, from both positive and negative temperature remote cabinets to modular refrigerator packs for advanced refrigeration systems, catering to the Retail, Food&Beverage and Ho.Re.Ca. segments.
Within the range of natural refrigerants used by Epta, propane R290 and carbon dioxide R744 have historically played a pivotal role. Employed respectively in all the Group’s plug-ins and in remote and central cabinets, both refrigerants are characterised by exceptional thermodynamic properties, such as a zero ODP and a negligible GWPvalue, almost null if compared to synthetic fluorinated refrigerants.
Additionally, Epta designs Integral solutions with natural refrigerants and air or water condensation, featuring a fully integrated and pre-assembled refrigeration unit in the cabinet. These self-contained units, ideal for small stores without a machine room, not only meet Retailers’ needs for greater display flexibility but also ensure quicker installation and excellent energy performance.
MODULARITY, PERFORMANCE AND CUSTOMISATION AT THE HEART OF EPTATECHNICA’S COMPLETE OFFER
EptaTechnica, sub-brand of the Group, designs and industrialises a wide range of transcritical CO2 systems with a high degree of customisation, adhering to stringent international regulations. In specific, Eco2Small, Eco2Middle and Eco2Large by EptaTechnica represent excellence in refrigeration plants, thanks to their modular and tailor-made structure, which is perfectly fitted to the various installation contexts.
For instance, Eco2Small is ideal for outdoor and indoor installations in small stores, Eco2Middle offers high flexibility, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, while Eco2Large is engineered for larger Retail spaces.
THE GAME CHANGERS: ETE, FTE 2.0 AND XTE
Epta demonstrates its leadership in CO2 technology with its innovative systems for transcritical CO2 units, such as FTE 2.0 (Full Transcritical Efficiency) and ETE (Extreme Temperature Efficiency), designed to maximise efficiency and reduce energy costs, at any latitude, even in climates with temperatures exceeding 40°C. In extreme conditions, FTE 2.0 is particularly effective when combined with the ETE subcooler, ensuring 100% refrigeration capacity and considerable savings. Both developed within the Life-C4R project, these systems guarantee an annual energy consumption which is 15% to 23% lower compared with traditional CO2 systems, whilst at the same time reducing CO2 emissions by up to 20% in high-temperature environments.
In conclusion, Epta’s latest technological innovation, XTE (Extra Transcritical Efficiency), enhances system performance in all conditions throughout the year. In this sense, XTE not only reduces consumption peaks during warm months, guaranteeing energy savings by more than 30% above +40°C compared with a traditional transcritical system, but also offers significant benefits in cold months, during which the XTE system starts running at temperature exceeding +10°C.
“This new legislation signifies a turning point for commercial refrigeration and steers the entire industry towards more sustainable solutions” says Francesco Mastrapasqua, who concludes “An opportunity that the Group, standing as a virtuous market role model, embraced over 25 years ago, as a demonstration of its commitment to a healthier and safer environment“.
