In a significant move towards supporting retailers and supermarket owners, Honeywell has announced the commercial availability of its A2L refrigerants for the North American market. These innovative refrigerants are compatible with new equipment from Heatcraft Refrigeration Products and can help customers improve efficiency, reduce operating expenses, and comply with evolving environmental regulations.
Heatcraft is the first commercial refrigeration manufacturer in North America to offer equipment that uses A2L refrigerants, which includes Honeywell Solstice® L40X (R-455A). A2L is a safety classification for hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants that indicates low toxicity and low flammability. These new A2L refrigerants provide a safe and efficient option for retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants and refrigerated transport companies that rely on refrigerants to keep their food and products fresh.
“Offering equipment that is compatible with A2L refrigerants is crucial for retailers in North America as new government regulations take effect and commonly used high global warming potential refrigerants are phased out,” said David Bolaños, director of marketing and product management at Heatcraft. “We recognized the need for this equipment years ago and worked closely to develop a solution that benefits our wholesaler customers, as well as contractors and end-users.”
Honeywell and Heatcraft have worked together since 2023 to optimize the low-global warming potential (GWP) solution for Heatcraft’s condensing units and evaporators for walk-in coolers and freezers.
Refrigeration typically represents a significant portion of retailers’ overall energy consumption, so many are looking to move away from high-GWP HFC refrigerants like R-404A and R-507 and adopt more efficient alternatives. Honeywell’s A2L/HFO refrigerants, including Solstice® L40X (R-455A), Solstice® R-454A, and Solstice® R-454C provide cost-saving benefits by reducing energy consumption and maintenance requirements. Research from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory also shows that HFO solutions offer greater energy efficiency when compared to CO2 and propane/hydrocarbon options.
The innovations from Honeywell in refrigeration have been supported by more than 10 years of research and development into the Solstice product line, which includes A2L refrigerants. Exact cost-saving benefits can vary, but some stores have seen lifetime cost savings that exceed $260,000.1
Honeywell has led the way in developing HFO technologies and is a prominent player in the creation and supply of low-GWP refrigerants, along with other products like blowing agents for thermal insulation and solvents for cleaning solutions. Honeywell also offers A2L training programs, workshops and technical support for HVACR technicians to ensure a smooth transition to new refrigeration solutions.
Learn more about Honeywell Solstice® A2L Refrigerants.
