ATMO America to Feature U.S. EPA, California State Senator, R290 End Users and Contractors

Representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California State Senate will participate in a policy discussion on the latest regulatory changes impacting the uptake of natural refrigerants, including hydrocarbons, at the ATMOsphere (ATMO) America Summit 2022 next month.

ATMO America is scheduled to take place, in person, June 7–8 in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center. It will be the first in-person ATMO America conference since 2019.

This 11^th annual edition of ATMO America will gather key industry experts, policy makers, end users and contractors to learn about the latest developments in natural refrigerant-based systems, including those using hydrocarbons, CO₂ and ammonia. ATMO America is organized by ATMOsphere (formerly shecco), publisher of Hydrocarbons21.com.

You can register for the event here, and find the program here.  Registration is free for end users and contractors.

Cindy Newberg, Director of the Stratospheric Protection Division (SPD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will give an update on the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, with a focus on the impending “Technology Transitions” proposed rulemaking. The AIM Act authorizes the EPA to regulate HFC refrigerants; its initial rule, announced last September, established HFC allowances, and guidelines for HFC allocation and trading.

EPA representatives will also hold an AIM Act Workshop. This interactive workshop is an opportunity for natural refrigerant industry stakeholders to interact with EPA and state officials, asking questions, addressing concerns and highlighting priorities in regard to the U.S. AIM Act rollout.

Also on the policy & standards panel, California State Senator Nancy Skinner will discuss her bill (SB 1206), which supports the adoption of natural refrigerants while lowering acceptable GWP levels for HFC gases. Skinner, a Democrat representing Berkeley, is Chair of the California Senate Budget Committee and Vice Chair of the Legislative Women’s Caucus.

Another participant in the policy & standards panel is Avipsa Mahapatra, Climate Campaign Lead, Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). She will discuss the latest trends in hydrocarbon charge standards for air conditioners, heat pumps and commercial refrigeration

End users and contractors speak

A number of end users and contractors will be discussing their approach to natural refrigerants at ATMO America. This includes Aer Teale, Director of Engineering, Lineage Logistics, who will deliver the keynote address on “The Intersection of Energy, Sustainability, and Refrigeration.”

Teale’s keynote will examine Lineage Logistics’ carbon footprint at its facilities globally. He will talk about challenges in 2022 for large cold storage facility owners, how to manage the transition to new solutions, and how to optimize refrigeration.

At the end users & contractor’s panel, Harrison Horning, Director of Maintenance – Hannaford & Stop & Shop (division of Ahold Delhaize), Retail Business Service, will discuss installations of propane (R290) self-contained cases in frozen-food lineups in new and existing stores, as well as his experience as a pioneer of transcritical CO₂ refrigeration. 

Another panelist, Ady Vyas, Vice President of Energy and Digital Services of Canadian contractor Neelands Group, will address how Neelands facilitates the implementation of CO₂ systems at numerous Canadian supermarkets.

And a third panelist, Benoit Rodier, Director of Business Development, of CIMCO, will describe how one of Canada’s largest independent grocers built Quebec’s first net-zero meat-packing facility using low-charge ammonia refrigeration.

Natural refrigerant heat pumps

The transition from gas and oil boilers and furnaces to heat pumps using natural refrigerants is one of the most significant and growing trends in the world. Addressing this trend will be a session on HVAC and heat pumps. Speakers include:

• Yoram Shabtay, President, Heat Transfer Technologies/MicroGroove, who will co-present  with Lordan on “A Cold-Climate R290 Heat Pump Water Heater Case Study”
• Andy Baker, Owner and Project Manager, YourCleanEnergy, who will present on “Framing The Case For NatRef Heat Pumps (particularly using CO₂) Over HFOs”
• Benoit Rodier, Director of Business Development, CIMCO, who will speak on “Natural Refrigerant (Ammonia) Heat Pump for District Energy System in Canada”

Other key sessions include:

•  Refrigerant Carbon Credits: Fritz Troller, CEO and Co-Founder of Therm, who will discuss using refrigerant carbon credits as a means to pay for the higher capital costs associated with natural refrigerant equipment. He will explain the origin of these credits, the process of claiming credits, and the practical application for organizations of all sizes.
• The Impact of Refrigerants: Health, Safety and Climate panel, with Lydia Jahl, Science & Policy Associate, Green Science Policy Institute; and David Berhinger, Project Manager, Öko-Recherche. They will address the importance of defining PFAS (“forever chemicals”) to include certain f-gases and TFA (trifluoroacetic acid), a byproduct of HFO-1234yf that is accumulating in fresh water bodies around the world.
• Technology Trends: Stefan Elbel, CEO, Creative Thermal Solutions, will present on “The Latest Natural Refrigerants-based Technology Trends in Different HVAC&R Applications.”

Want to find out more, or have something to say about this story? Join the ATMO Connect network to meet and engage with like-minded stakeholders in the clean cooling and natural refrigerant arena.