As the first-ever approach to quantify the market potential for the natural working fluids carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrocarbons, the “GUIDE 2012: Natural Refrigerants – Market Growth for Europe” addresses both experts and new entrants to the market for more sustainable heating, cooling and refrigeration. Building on a global industry survey among close to 1,300 HVAC&R experts, the GUIDE aims to support decision makers in industry and policy to learn about the characteristics of natural refrigerants, get familiar with their applications today and the challenges they still face, but more importantly evaluate their business potential over the coming years.

The GUIDE and shecco’s new publication arm are part of a series of concrete actions taken by marketing & communications expert shecco in helping its partners advance future-proof refrigeration, heating and cooling solutions, as Marc Chasserot, Publisher and Managing Director of shecco, explains:

"Over the last five years we have built shecco into the world's leading online publisher of natural refrigerant news and expertise. Today, I'm proud to announce the next step in our mission to bring natural refrigerants faster to market. Building on our online publishing business we will launch a series of print and digital publications during 2012. Our first in this new series is the GUIDE 2012 – Market Growth for Europe. We hope you enjoy reading it.”

Free access – global distribution

The GUIDE attaches great value to visually appealing graphics for market trends, forecasts and fields of applications. The report can be viewed online, downloaded as a whole publication or only as the case studies part. Moreover, all images are provided as a separate download to enable readers to directly input graphics into presentations towards their staff members or towards partners, customers or fellow legislators. 

“The GUIDE is free to read online, to download and to distribute. We have decided for an “open source” concept with constant feedback from our global network to spread the message as widely as possible: that natural refrigerants are already today a viable alternative to ozone-depleting and climate-damaging fluorinated gases and that they will continue offering more business opportunities for sustainability leaders in the future,” says Nina Burhenne, Lead Author and Head of Market Research shecco. 

“Market leaders in producing or using natural refrigerant solutions have supported us in this endeavour by contributing real-life case studies or issuing clear statements in favour of their wider application, but also by pointing out remaining barriers,” she adds. 

The GUIDE in detail

During 2011, shecco had been in contact with component suppliers, system manufacturers, research institutes and end-users to collect quantifiable as well as qualitative data on the natural refrigerants (NR) business. It was supported by leading industry associations interested in receiving more detailed information on the application potential for NR in Europe and beyond. As a result, close to 1,300 experts – including those already using NR and those still relying on traditional working fluids – responded to the online survey fielded between February and September 2011. 

Among the highlights from the publication:

• User's Guide to NR: What are the characteristics of Natural Refrigerants? Where are they used in the Food Chain, in Transport, in City & Buildings, and in Industry & Special Applications?

• Global Industry Survey: Which world region will adopt NR quickly? How are NR refrigerant sales volumes developing?

• Europe Today: What are the promising applications of NR? Policy SWOT: Which policies have which impact on the uptake of NR?

• CO₂ Supermarket Map: How many supermarkets per EU country are using CO₂ transcritical refrigeration systems? The first-ever map per country showing how CO₂ refrigerant is gaining momentum.

• Europe Tomorrow: What do 667 respondents say about the future of NR in Europe? Which NR do they already use today in their products & services? What is the overall awareness level about NR among the HVAC&R industry and their customers? And what are the strenghts of NR and the most important barriers to their uptake?

• Market Forecasts 2012-2020: What are the industry's expectations for the market share of NR in 2012, 2015, 2020 - per industry sector?

• Case Studies: Where are NR used today? A collection of real-life success stories with cost & energy savings, environmental advantages and technology benefits.

• NR Business Directory: Who are the market players investing already today in NR technology, which refrigerants do they use and in which sectors are they active?

• The Voice of End-Users: What do The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, Heineken, Mc Donald's and leading supermarket chains have to say about the prospects of NR?

GUIDE North America

As the first publication of its kind, the GUIDE concept will be refined over the coming months to still better measure the pulse of the global HVAC&R industry. shecco encourages all readers to send comments and ideas to research@shecco.com.