The ATMOsphere Podcast Network

This Expert Opinion column has been written by Harald Erös, Head of Refrigeration and Heat Pump Technology for global pharmaceutical manufacturer Takeda. Here, Erös shares details about the AHEAD (advanced heat pump demonstrator) project, which recently culminated in Takeda commencing operation of a 1.2MW (341TR) butane–water (R600–R718) high-temperature heat pump at its Vienna production facility...

While the industrial refrigeration industry in the U.S. is served by traditional trade organizations like the International Institute of All-Natural Refrigeration (IIAR) and Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA), another trade group has taken a different approach, forming a collaboration under the auspices of a major university. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com...

Two rotation heat pumps developed by Austrian clean-tech firm ecop Technologies are set to be installed in Meldorf, Germany, as part of an upgrade to the town’s district heating network, which serves around 7,500 inhabitants. ⁠Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.⁠

Norwegian heat pump manufacturer Tequs will receive NOK 12.4 million (€1.03 million/$1.2 million) in funding from the Research Council of Norway to advance the development of a next-generation CO2 (R744) heat pump for high return temperatures, according to a press release from the Research Council. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

To modernize an Italian brewery’s 1.62MW (461TR) ammonia (R717)-based refrigeration system, Italian manufacturer Zudek installed both an ammonia compression chiller and a heat-driven absorption chiller that produces 420kW (119TR) of cooling from previously wasted cogeneration heat. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

GEA , a German-based large-scale HVAC&R manufacturer, has launched a new high-pressure screw compressor, Grasso L XHP , optimized for ammonia (R717) heat pumps, featuring a design pressure of up to 70bar (1,016psi). The new L XHP series, available in three models, offers heating capacities from 2 to 11MW (569 to 3,128TR) with a maximum discharge temperature of 140°C (284°F). Read the full stor...

Following the introduction of a transcritical CO2 (R744) scroll compressor with dynamic vapor injection (DVI) in Europe, U.S. component manufacturer Copeland has announced the launch of the technology in North America. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Given their outsize impact of f-gases on the environment, “my belief is that appliances [with f-gas refrigerants] are the most important thing a person could ever recycle,” said Michael Helme, Co-Founder and Lead Volunteer of New Yorkers for Cool Refrigerant Management (NY4Cool). Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced that ATMOsphere (ATMO) LATAM 2026 will be held in Bogotá, Colombia, March 9–10. ATMO LATAM 2026 will gather key industry experts, including manufacturers, policymakers, end users and contractors, to learn about the latest developments in natural refrigerant-based HVAC&R systems, including those using CO2 (R744), hydrocarbons and a...

German produce wholesaler Fruchthof Northeim has replaced its R404A refrigeration system with a propane chiller with a 61.8kW (17.6 tons of refrigeration) cooling capacity, produced by German refrigeration manufacturer Frigotec. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced that the 15th edition of the ATMOsphere (ATMO) America Summit 2026 will be held in New York City June 2–3 and registration is open. This is the first time ATMO America will be held in New York City. Last year’s ATMO America conference was held in Atlanta. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Components manufacturer Sanhua has announced that it will begin supplying “complete packages” of “coordinated and compatible components” for commercial refrigeration systems using propane (R290) and CO2 (R744) refrigerants. The product packages are part of the company’s 2025–2030 roadmap, which is oriented around natural refrigerants and integrated component packages.  Read the full story on Natur...

Hybrid dry coolers, manufactured by Swiss-based Jaeggi Hybridtechnologie (a subsidiary of Güntner ), will provide all of the cooling for a CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) data center in Geneva, Switzerland, with an installed IT power capacity of 12MW. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

The Middle East has traditionally been a tough market to crack for natural refrigerant-based HVAC&R equipment due to the region’s high ambient temperatures, shortage of trained technicians and lack of regulations restricting the use of f-gases. Epta established itself in the region over a decade ago, and since then it has installed thousands of propane (R290) self-contained cabinets in grocery...

Enerblue , an Italian HVAC manufacturer, has cut a major railway maintenance hub’s CO2e emissions by up to 90%, or roughly 672 metric tons, per year by replacing its gas heating unit with a 900kW (255.9TR) air-to-water propane (R290) heat pump system, according to the company. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

The articles in the podcast are as follows: ATMO Europe: European Private Equity Firm Triton Partners Positions Data Center Cooling as a High-Value Product Segment ATMO Europe: Danfoss Details How Hydrocarbon High-Temperature Heat Pumps Are Decarbonizing the Food and Beverage Industry ATMO Europe: Copeland’s Decentralized CO2 Solution Cuts Auchan Supermarket Retrofit Cost by 6% Compared to Convent...

In collaboration with CERN, Swedish-based manufacturer SWEP is supplying brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHE) for the laboratory’s new CO2 (R744)-based cooling system, which includes its Q185H model developed specifically for the project . Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Compared to a conventional CO2 (R744) rack, U.S. components manufacturer Copeland saved French retail group Auchan 6% in capital costs in a supermarket retrofit using a decentralized CO2 solution, according to Fabian Gantois, Manager of Retailer Sales and End Users at the manufacturing company. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

Hydrocarbon high-temperature heat pumps (HTHP) with outlet temperatures up to 120°C (248°F) are already decarbonizing the food and beverage industry, according to Danfoss . Ivan Rangelov, Industrial Heat Pump Manager at Danfoss, shared details about the technology readiness levels of various HTHPs at the ATMOsphere (ATMO) Europe Summit 2025.  Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

German manufacturer Konvekta showcased CO2-Qube , its CO2 (R744)-based thermal management system for electric heavy equipment, including agriculture and construction vehicles, at Agritechnica 2025. CO2-Qube incorporates the company’s CO2 heat pump technology in electric buses and rail vehicles, with prototypes undergoing performance testing, according to Konvekta. It expects the final product to o...

European private equity firm Triton has emphasized the rising strategic importance of HVAC&R companies developing data center cooling product portfolios as global demand for data processing and digital infrastructure continues to accelerate. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

The articles in the podcast are as follows: ElementalLondon: Commercial R290 Heat Pumps Highlight HVAC Offerings Maersk’s Ruakura CO2 Cold Storage Facility Awarded New Zealand’s Highest Green Star Rating ATMO Europe: Coop Denmark, CERN, Menerga and MAGNOTHERM Win ATMO Awards ATMO Europe: Carel Outlines CO2 and Propane Commercial Refrigeration Evolution and Trends ATMO Europe: Taking a Stand on PFA...

U.S. component manufacturer Copeland , backed by the private equity firm Blackstone, has taken its first step toward public listing with the confidential filing of a proposed initial public offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.

In 2014, Malene Teller Blume, Quality and Development Manager for the Nordic food retailer Coop Trading and its subsidiary Coop Denmark, found herself talking about the chemical pollutant PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) on television as a guest on a popular Danish consumer program. Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com .

Samuele Da Ros, Group Solution Marketing Manager for Food Retail Applications at Carel , outlined the evolution and market adoption trends of CO2 (R744) and propane (R290) refrigeration solutions in commercial applications in a presentation at the ATMOsphere (ATMO) Europe Summit 2025 . Read the full story on NaturalRefrigerants.com.