NASRC Summit: Top 5 Takeaways

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

Our 2022 Sustainable Refrigeration Summit showcased insights on the latest regulatory and industry trends from leading food retailers, industry experts, and policymakers. Watch the session recordings on the platform here. 

Check out our TOP 5 Summit takeaways below:

1. Existing stores need more solutions
For many retailers, natural refrigerants are becoming the standard for new stores. But existing stores, which represent the largest emissions reduction opportunity, remain the greatest challenge to transitioning away from HFCs.

2. Ongoing innovation is needed
Throughout the Summit, expert retailers highlighted a variety of innovative plans and strategies to transition away from HFCs and meet regulatory timelines. No single solution will meet the needs of all retailers.

3. Technician shortage is the limiting factor
In every session, the issue of the technician workforce shortage was raised as a critical barrier to the transition away from HFCs. Even if every other challenge slowing the transition was removed, we do not currently have the service and installation workforce to meet regulatory timelines.

4. Effective policies are a key solution
While increasing regulatory pressures at the state and federal levels are driving the transition away from HFCs, effective policies can enable a swift and successful transition by offsetting upfront costs, accelerating technology advances, supporting workforce development, and more.

5. Success will require collaboration
Most importantly, it was clear across the summit that solutions to these challenges will require a coordinated effort across all stakeholder groups. NASRC is leading that effort together with our members and partners. Contact us to get involved.

Missed a session?

Session recordings & slide decks will be available on the platform through November 25th!

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Top 5 Takeaways From The Sustainable Refrigeration Summit

We recently hosted the first-ever Sustainable Refrigeration Summit, bringing together supermarket refrigeration stakeholders, government agencies, and policymakers to address the challenges to achieving zero emissions in supermarket refrigeration.

NASRC members can now access the session slides and recordings in our Member Resource Library, but we've also compiled our top 5 takeaways from the Summit below:

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1. Natural refrigerants are becoming standard in new stores
A growing number of food retailers are choosing natural refrigerants in new store construction. However there are still challenges that need to be addressed, and given the very low rate of new construction we can't achieve zero emissions without addressing existing stores.

2. Existing stores need more solutions
Existing stores represent the greatest opportunity for HFC emissions reduction, but also the greatest challenge. Retailers need more solutions in the market to modularly transition existing facilities, such as natural refrigerant condensing units and codes and standards updates to allow a higher R290 charge limit.

3. Service workforce is a limiting factor
Even if all other barriers were removed, service workforce constraints will significantly limit the rate of the transition away from HFCs. There is a need for workforce development solutions to build a robust technician workforce with access to natural refrigerant training.

4. Funding is needed to accelerate the transition
Upfront cost premiums of natural refrigerant technologies remain one of the leading barriers in both new and existing stores. There is a need for new funding sources to support and accelerate the transition, especially for small and independent food retailers.

5. Effective policies can remove challenges
Increasing regulatory pressures at the state and federal levels are driving the transition to low-GWP and natural refrigerant technology solutions. Effective policies can address challenges and support the transition to move the industry forward together.

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Most importantly, it was clear across the summit that solutions to these challenges will required a coordinated effort with all stakeholders. NASRC is leading that effort together with our members and partners.

Contact us to get involved.