In the industrial sector, technology is improving how we manage "thermal mass."
The "Better" Technology: Advanced Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are now used to store cold energy. These materials melt and freeze at specific temperatures. An industrial freezer can make ice or freeze PCMs during the night when electricity is cheaper, and then use that stored "cold" to keep the facility cool during the day without running compressors. This balances the electrical grid and saves businesses money. refrigeration and air conditioning technology better
Supermarket retrofit: Replaced R-404A rack with CO₂ transcritical + inverter compressors → 40% less energy, 99% lower GWP, and remote alarm system reduced spoilage by 22%. In the industrial sector, technology is improving how
For decades, the “better” technology meant using CFCs (which destroyed ozone), then HCFCs (less harmful but still potent greenhouse gases), then HFCs (ozone-safe but thousands of times more warming than CO2). The industry has finally learned that a truly better system cannot save food or cool a room while boiling the planet. For decades, the “better” technology meant using CFCs
The shift toward natural refrigerants (R-290 propane, R-600a isobutane, and R-744 CO2) is arguably the single most important improvement. These gases have near-zero Global Warming Potential (GWP). For example, R-290 has a GWP of 3, compared to R-410A’s GWP of 2,088.
But natural refrigerants also force engineering to be better. Because propane is flammable, modern units now feature hermetically sealed systems, leak detectors, and smaller charge sizes. Paradoxically, regulation has sparked innovation. New CO2 systems (common in supermarket refrigeration) operate at transcritical pressures, requiring compressors and heat exchangers that are more robust, efficient, and durable than their predecessors. When we ask how RAC tech becomes better, the answer increasingly is: “It works with nature, not against it.”