International. Honeywell announced the arrival of a new low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant for commercial and industrial refrigeration that is optimized for supermarkets.
Solstice N71 (R-471A), the latest addition to Honeywell's patented line of low-GWP Solstice solutions for various applications, is the supermarket industry's first non-flammable and energy-efficient solution with a GWP of less than 150.
Solstice N71 expands Honeywell's Solstice product line, which includes Solstice N40, the most widely adopted R-404A replacement refrigerant for the supermarket industry. Solstice N40 has been adopted by more than 60,000 supermarkets worldwide since its launch in 2015.
With Solstice N71, Honeywell has designed the next-generation solution that meets the increasingly stringent standards that combat climate change and is accelerating the industry's ability to achieve carbon neutrality. The new addition to the Solstice line builds on Honeywell's track record of dramatically reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of its operations and facilities, as well as its decades-long track record of innovation in helping its customers achieve their environmental and social goals.
The arrival of Solstice N71 will provide a timely lifeline to supermarkets, helping them meet new standards, including those in California and the European Union that restrict refrigerants with a GWP greater than 150 in new systems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is also considering a similar national regulation that may go into effect in 2024. These restrictions follow guidelines set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AIM Act, and the pre-established F-Gas regulation in the EU stemming from the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to gradually reduce hydrofluorocarbons.
"The supermarket industry, along with countless other sectors, continues to face evolving regulations that make maintaining performance and sustainability a challenge," said John Keating, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's stationary refrigerants business. "We anticipated this latest transition for refrigerants and are proud to introduce an innovative next-generation solution that the industry was missing. Solstice N71 is an innovative refrigerant that provides supermarkets with a solution that has a reduced GWP and is operationally safe, enabling our customers to reduce their carbon footprint and comply with new regulations."
Honeywell and its suppliers have completed a billion-dollar investment program in research and development and new capacity based on Honeywell's hydrofluorolefin technology.
Solstice N71 provides substantially higher energy performance in medium temperature applications, with a 13% reduction in energy use compared to R-404A and a reduction of more than 30% compared to CO2-based systems according to the model. This refrigerant is optimal for medium temperature applications, creating more options for both grocery brands and other refrigeration end users, along with equipment manufacturers that require a green and cost-effective way to achieve sustainability goals.
