Being widely used in industrial applications in the US, ammonia is now receiving increasing interest for supermarket applications. Through its GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, the US EPA is organising a webinar on ‘Ammonia Systems for Supermarkets’ that will explore the potential of the technology.

The webinar is organised by the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cooperative alliance with the supermarket industry and suppliers to promote technologies, strategies, and practices that reduce refrigerant charges and emissions of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases. It will take place on 19 August 2010, 14:00 Eastern Time.

Webinar speakers will include:

• Keilly Witman, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/GreenChill
• Caleb Nelson, CTA Architects Engineers
• Bruce Badger, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration
• Eric Smith, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

To join the webinar, click here on 19 August 2010, just before 14:00 Eastern Time and call into the teleconference number 1-866-2993188. The conference code is 202 343 9742.

Ammonia in US supermarkets

Although ammonia is technically legal for use as a primary refrigerant in secondary loop systems, local and State permitting problems and ordinances have so far prevented retailers from pursuing this opportunity. However, at least one food retailer is now considering the use of ammonia supermarket refrigeration.

About the GreenChill Partnership

The GreenChill Partnership helps the environment by decreasing the impact of commercial refrigeration systems on the ozone layer and climate change. GreenChill assists partner food retailers in developing and attaining corporate environmental stewardship and sustainability goals. It also encourages emission reductions at individual stores through its Store Certification Program.

Launched in 2007, the GreenChill Partnership now includes 49 partners with close to 5,500 stores throughout the US. GreenChill’s supermarket partners’ refrigerant leak rates are about 50 percent lower than the industry average, the EPA estimates.