It is time to go back to the beginning. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3) have always been in our environment, and they have also always been in the story of refrigeration with both being used as refrigerants in the 1800s. Their use declined with the advent of synthetic refrigerants, but now the AIM Act and upcoming EPA rules will propel the industry away from environment-damaging HFC refrigerants and toward low global warming potential (GWP) options. Today, natural refrigerants are a rising option for refrigeration again.
That is why Zero Zone presents Genesys™ Natural Refrigeration Solutions. It is time to return to the beginning—the genesis—of refrigeration with CO2 (R-744) and ammonia (R-717) systems. CO2 and ammonia are the gold standard for ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP). Neither are ozone depleting (0). CO2 has a GWP of 1—which is because it is used as the baseline for that scale—and ammonia has a GWP of 0. For performance, CO2 is known for its high cooling capacity, and ammonia has a reputation for excellent energy efficiency. Natural refrigerants are a future-proof solution that exceeds modern sustainability goals, allowing customers to make the best choice for themselves and for the environment. Natural refrigerants are the natural choice.
Upcoming EPA regulations will end the use of most HFC refrigerants by 2025, which means today is the day to choose Genesys™ Natural Refrigeration Solutions for your next project. For more information about the Genesys™ CO2 systems, watch our video: https://youtu.be/EhWdvmdlUjA and learn more at https://www.zero-zone.com/natural-refrigeration-solutions/.
The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the transition to alternative refrigerants by phasing down the production and consumption of HFC refrigerants. The EPA has published a proposed rule that will prohibit the manufacture of equipment containing HFCs by 1/1/2025 and prohibit the sale of those products by 1/1/2026.
Which states are affected?
This rule would apply to the entire country, which would finally bring alignment across the country instead of state-by-state regulations. States will still be able to issue their own, more stringent regulations, and some states will still require attention, such as California and New York.
Which refrigerants are affected?
This rule proposes to restrict the use of refrigerants by their global warming potential (GWP). Generally speaking, equipment that uses more than 200 lbs. of refrigerant will be subject to a GWP limit of 150, and equipment that uses less than 200 lbs. of refrigerant will be subject to a GWP limit of 300. Chiller systems will be subject to a GWP limit of 700.
These GWP limits will end the use of refrigerants such as R-404A (GWP of 3943), R-407A (GWP of 1923), R-410A (GWP of 1924), R-448A (GWP of 1273), R-449A (GWP of 1282), and R-507 (GWP of 3985) in new equipment. Going forward, refrigeration equipment will need to use natural refrigerants, such as CO2 (GWP of 1) and ammonia (GWP of 0), and HFO-based refrigerants since there are options below the proposed GWP limits.
When will the rule be finalized?
Currently the proposed rule is available for comments until 1/30/23. The proposed rule will be finalized in October 2023. We do not expect the GWP limits to change, but the implementation date might get pushed back to help manufacturers and end users complete existing projects. Industry leaders are also asking for clarification about how the implementation dates are defined, and for clarification about how “new projects” will be defined compared to retrofit or remodel projects.
Further Reading
Zero Zone has a new paper, “The National Plan for Refrigerant Regulations,” which has more information about the upcoming EPA regulations, which states will still have regulations to follow, and solutions that Zero Zone offers.
To know where we have come from, Zero Zone has a paper, “The State of Refrigerant Regulations,” which covers state regulations that affected the United States from 2019 through 2024.
If you have questions about these regulations, please contact Zero Zone and ask to speak to our Director of Regulatory Compliance & Refrigeration Technology. If you want to learn about our offerings and plan for these regulations, contact our sales team.
The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) recently published a factsheet outlining the impact that natural refrigerants could have on supermarket refrigeration. We want to help circulate this factsheet so people will not miss this valuable resource and reminder of the benefits of natural refrigerants. The NASRC is an organization dedicated to advocating for natural refrigerants. In their words, “Natural refrigerants are the climate-friendly solution to mitigate supermarket HFC emissions.”
Zero Zone offers natural refrigerant systems using CO2 or ammonia. Our equipment is used in both commercial and industrial settings, ranging from 5 tons to 500 tons. Our Natural Refrigerant Systems product sheet demonstrates the variety of systems we have designed and put into service. We have CO2 and ammonia system solutions to meet various requirements for cold storage, food processing, pharmaceutical operations, and supermarkets. We can incorporate secondary glycol loops, air-cooled or water-cooled condensing, heat reclaim systems, and more.
We offer CO2 subcritical and CO2 transcritical systems. CO2 systems can be indoors or outdoors, set up inside custom electrical mechanical centers (CEMCs), built as full racks or condensing units, and be part of booster systems and cascade systems. This versatility unlocks CO2 as a viable solution for warm and cool climates for all sorts of customers, and Zero Zone has been shipping these systems across the United States with great results.
Ammonia is a great choice for industrial customers and ice arenas. Low-charge ammonia systems can be utilized indoors, outdoors, and in CEMCs. We have many years of experience and knowledge in ammonia, and we are ready for your project.
With increasing EPA regulation limiting the continued use of HFC refrigerants, Zero Zone is eager to assist you with deciding which natural refrigerant system would be best adapted to your specific application. Begin a conversation with us. Contact your local Zero Zone sales rep today.
Pictured: CO2 Transcritical Outdoor Parallel System (OPS)
Do you love working with your hands? Now is the time to join our growing Zero Zone team. Current openings include both office and production positions, with leadership opportunities available.
You will be a valued member of the Zero Zone team, able to take ownership of your own career path. Gain access to professional development through internal training and tuition reimbursement. Enjoy wellness incentives, casual dress code, free coffee, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our people are known for excellent customer service, and we believe they are the best coworkers, too. We want to join you in your career goals.
We have opened a new manufacturing facility in Dyersville, Iowa, to meet the demand for quality refrigeration systems. For over 60 years, we have been a leader in refrigeration from our locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and now in Iowa. We have grown through dedication to our mission: “To exceed customer expectations through innovation, quality, and responsiveness.”
What is the best refrigerant for my system? As government regulations push the industry away from high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants towards low GWP options, now is the right time for natural refrigerants. Zero Zone natural refrigerant systems provide the solutions you need to meet your objectives and government regulations. A couple recent projects include a CO2 transcritical system for Rufus Brubaker Refrigeration and an ammonia chiller for Air Management Technologies.
System Facts: 200-Ton CO2 Transcritical System
Customer: Rufus Brubaker Refrigeration
State: Pennsylvania
Application: Process refrigeration
System Type: Parallel system located indoors
Capacity: 150 tons used for medium temp, 50 tons used for low temp
Features: Parallel compression, adiabatic gas cooler, hot gas defrost
Energy Savings: Heat reclaim for facility water
CO2 refrigerant (R-744) grows increasingly important to the refrigeration industry as a natural replacement for high GWP refrigerants. Improvements to CO2 transcritical technology make CO2 feasible and reliable in more regions, including Pennsylvania where this new system is located. CO2 compressor discharge offers high-quality heat that can be repurposed through a heat reclaim system. Rufus Brubaker’s customer uses that reclaimed heat for their facility’s warm water.
John Collins, Industrial Sales Manager – East for Zero Zone, commented that “Rufus Brubaker is a longtime customer of Zero Zone. When they made the decision to pursue CO2 refrigeration for their customer, they came to Zero Zone as a trusted partner to deliver a successful project. Our team worked closely with Rufus Brubaker all the way through design concept, fabrication, installation, and start-up to assure a smooth project delivery and satisfied end user.”
System Facts: 150-Ton Ammonia Chiller
Customer: Air Management Technologies
State: Illinois
Application: Process chilling
System Type: Outdoor parallel system (OPS) configuration
Energy Savings: VFD compressor control and DC motor condenser control
A large food processing organization globally recognized for their environmental and sustainable processes chose to install a low-charge ammonia (R-717) chiller manufactured by Zero Zone as part of a worldwide R-22 equipment phase-out. The low-charge ammonia chiller was selected to meet health and safety standards for both their employees and the surrounding neighborhood community. The package chiller was customized to provide the same low temperature glycol refrigeration capabilities of chemical refrigerant chillers while exceeding target GWP objectives. John Collins chimed in that choosing ammonia “is a future proof and environmentally friendly solution.”
Making an Educated Decision
There are many practical reasons to still consider HFCs. Traditionally, HFCs are seen as a low cost and familiar option. However, it is sometimes difficult to know where HFCs can be used because high GWP refrigerants are being increasingly regulated by individual states. To get started on understanding HFC restrictions, read our news article and white paper about state refrigerant regulations.
Likewise, there are many practical reasons for using natural refrigerants. CO2 is one of the safest refrigerants to use. Ammonia systems are some of the most efficient and have been used safely in industrial applications for many decades. Both CO2 refrigerant and ammonia refrigerant are readily available. Of course, the biggest benefit to natural refrigerants is that they are environmentally sound and meet global sustainability goals.
So, if either synthetic refrigerants or natural refrigerants can be reasonable choices, how do you know which to pick? A good place to begin is by contacting your local Zero Zone sales representative and starting a conversation. They will help you select the best refrigerant for your needs, whether it is synthetic or natural. Fill out a contact form or give us a call (cases 800-247-4496; systems 800-708-3735). We would love to talk refrigerants with you.
“You asked, we answered.” That has been the motto for the Reveal Merchandiser® ever since it was launched in 2017. Through the years, we have expanded this product line again and again based on customer feedback, as you’ve seen with our Tall, MX, PX, and Hybrid™ options. And now, we are excited to announce that the Reveal Merchandiser® can be ordered (drumroll, please)… with doors!
Retailers sought a display case with the sleek design and merchandising flexibility of the Reveal Merchandiser® open multi-deck, but with the energy savings of a reach-in case. It was an open and shut case… Reveal™ with Doors to be exact. The Reveal™ with Doors case gives you all the merchandising capabilities you know and love about the standard Reveal Merchandiser®: deep shelves, deep bottom wire racks, beautiful ChillBrite® LED lighting, and equally versatile horizontal or vertical merchandising strategies. But, the best part? Reveal™ with Doors can lower energy costs by up to 71% compared to open multi-decks! Refrigeration equipment runs 24 hours per day, so there’s no denying, putting doors on cases significantly reduces energy costs and improves product shelf life.
Let’s talk about hockey. Or do you prefer figure skating? Maybe you’re a little nerdy (like us!) and want to talk about CO2 transcritical refrigeration. You are in luck, because the St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) Ice Arena has all of that!
The STMA story is about an ice arena that had too many skaters and not enough ice time to go around. The STMA School District replaced their existing system with a Zero Zone ColdLoop™ Ice Arena Chiller that cools both their original ice sheet and a new ice sheet. Terry Zerwas, the school’s Director of Buildings & Grounds, described the transition as “flawless,” and their Activities Director Keith Cornell spoke about how this gives the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams a real home. Their rink is ready for hockey players and figure skaters alike. “An Olympic skater had a program here,” explained Terry Zerwas, “and that Olympic skater found that it was the best that they had skated on.”
St. Cloud Refrigeration (SCR) was responsible for installing the ColdLoop™ Chiller. SCR Owner Mark Fitch says their relationship with Zero Zone goes back 40 years. “We’ve always been very familiar with Zero Zone’s equipment. They put together a very nice product for us.”
The design team chose CO2 as the primary refrigerant that works with a secondary glycol loop. Arena Manager Grant Fitch believes CO2 could be “the future” for ice rinks, and Mark Fitch is confident that “CO2 will be around and will not be phased out and will actually get bigger and bigger as time goes on.” CO2 is a very efficient and safe refrigerant. People question CO2 because it operates at very high pressures, but Mark Fitch says that is not a big concern. “Every component is built to deal with this pressure,” he states, comparing the system to other high pressure applications in homes and apartments. If high pressure is there, the system will be built to accommodate it.
You need a trusted refrigeration partner that will be there when you need them, help grow your sales, and save you money. So we think you’ll be interested in what a few of our retail partners have to say about why they chose Zero Zone.
Whether you prefer open multi-decks or reach-in display cases, Zero Zone has it all. “I’ve been in the grocery business for 51 years, and I think this is one of the best produce presentations I’ve ever seen,” a store manager said about the Reveal Merchandiser®. Regardless of whether you prefer open or reach-in, each of our cases is ready to deliver fresh products to your shoppers. Our white paper explains their merchandising strategies and the results.
You also need a quality refrigeration system to keep your product at the ideal temperature, and our retail partners benefit from our decades of experience with both large and small format stores. Refrigeration systems are complicated machines, but we pride ourselves on making them easier to install, operate, and service. This is how we deliver a high-quality product to you.
Most importantly, the foundation of our partnership with you is responsiveness. But don’t take our word for it. An operations director said, “Any time we reach out to Zero Zone, they’re Johnny-on-the-spot. They are there to answer any questions and help us out of any pickle we get into.” A store director said, “We couldn’t have asked for a better company to work with.” Read our “We’ve Got Your Back” white paper to see why these retailers chose to build a trusted partnership with Zero Zone.
The Crown Coliseum in Cumberland County, NC, is home to the Fayetteville Marksmen minor league hockey team. It also became the home to a brand new Zero Zone ColdLoop™ Ice Arena Chiller.
After years with an old R-22 system, Cumberland County turned to Zero Zone for a new chiller using ammonia. Ammonia is an industrial-grade refrigerant. “Ammonia as a refrigerant is an excellent choice,” Industrial Sales Manager John Collins explained. “It is perfectly suited for a low-temperature chiller application: highly efficient and very reliable.” Ammonia is a future-proof refrigerant with no ozone depletion potential (ODP = 0), no global warming potential (GWP = 0), and high performance. It is one of the most prominent natural refrigerants, which is appealing as an environmentally responsible option.
Cumberland County also chose many excellent cost-saving features: highly efficient screw compressors, evaporative condenser, PLC control system, variable frequency drives (VFDs), and, most notably, a heat reclaim system. Their heat reclaim system repurposes compressor discharge heat to warm the subfloor under the ice, ensuring that the subfloor will not freeze or crack. Heat reclaim systems repurpose the waste heat that otherwise would be released at the condenser without benefitting the arena.
Most importantly, the chiller produces high-quality ice for the hockey team. The Fayetteville Marksmen skate confidently because their home ice is formed by a ColdLoop™ Chiller.
You have great ideas for your stores, but it is challenging to bring them to life. As you consider the possibilities, Zero Zone is here to help, and the Zero Zone Technology Center is the place to get inspired. Picture this…
As you enter the building, you’ll be greeted with the sight of our main conference room through impressive double glass doors. As you continue walking, you’ll see a mural that honors our legacy of innovation, quality, and responsiveness. Turn the corner and admire a vintage Zero Zone freezer that operated for nearly 30 years.
Get your shopping carts ready! Just past the mural and vintage case, you will feel like you are stepping into a real grocery store. Our main showroom exhibits a fantastic collection of Zero Zone display cases for all applications, including frozen food, ice cream, beverage, wine, dairy, floral, bakery, prepackaged meat, fresh meat, bagged produce, and fresh produce. Compare how different products look between an open multi-deck and a reach-in display case. Black interior, white interior, different exterior colors, we have it! All of our main product lines are displayed—the industry-leading Crystal Merchandiser®, the robust Highlight Merchandiser®, and the sleek Reveal Merchandiser®. We also show off special case configurations such as Ultra Narrow, Back-to-Back, Rear Load, Tall, Meat Exclusive (MX), and Produce Exclusive (PX). And don’t forget about our fully operational Hybrid Merchandiser™, which keeps drinks cold for your visit.
Glancing around the main showroom, your eyes will fall on double stainless steel doors. Do we have more cases back there? No, it’s our systems showroom featuring our Edge™ XT (exterior) distributed system. This system is designed to be installed outside of your store, so it is built with heavy-duty steel housing to withstand the elements. Our systems showroom also gives you a glimpse at our extensive refrigeration system capabilities, which run the gamut of indoor and outdoor systems, large parallel systems and single compressor units, and a wide range of refrigerants, including CO2 transcritical and ammonia. Our experienced team is on the forefront of refrigeration technology, and our engineers have contributed to the IIAR’s CO2 Task Group and the ASHRAE Handbook.
Walking out of our systems showroom, you’ll see a door and a long hallway that you may have missed before. This leads to our state-of-the-art DOE Research & Development Test Labs. Our engineers are actively improving our products every day, and this facility is an impressive sight!
The Zero Zone Technology Center is a wealth of information and inspiration that you have to see for yourself. Whether you are looking for merchandising ideas and new display cases for your stores, or if you want a behind-the-scenes look at our innovation at work, let our refrigeration professionals help you find your inspiration at the Zero Zone Technology Center. Sneak a peek at our Technology Center Video and then contact your Zero Zone Sales Representative to arrange your visit. You’ll be glad you did.
