Tesco, the U.K.’s largest supermarket, is expanding its investment in natural refrigerants with the addition of five more ECOOLTEC TM182 transport refrigeration units to its fleet, according to a statement from ECOOLTEC.
The announcement follows a successful year-long trial of the units, which combine CO2 (R744) in the internal cooling circuit with propylene (R1270) in the external circuit. During trials, Tesco confirmed the technology’s ability to maintain frozen and chilled goods at required temperatures, even in demanding distribution operations with frequent door openings.
“The two ECOOLTEC vehicles we already operate have proven their worth, and we look forward to adding five more to our fleet,” explained Cliff Smith, Fleet Engineering Manager at Tesco.
“The practical tests and Tesco’s repeat orders confirm our performance promise,” added Henning Altebäumer, the CEO of ECOOLTEC.
“This is not just about cooling capacity, but about sustainability in action – eliminating the need for polluting diesel engines and relying solely on natural refrigerants,” added Altebäumer in a LinkedIn post.
The TM182 replaces diesel-driven compressors, reducing fuel consumption by up to 60% and cutting CO2 emissions by as much as 80% compared to conventional systems. The unit also avoids reliance on high-GWP HFCs, aligning with global phase-down efforts.
While the U.K. has yet to update its f-gas regulations since Brexit, it is expected to follow the EU’s accelerated phasedown, which fully bans f-gases in new equipment by 2050.
“Natural refrigerants are permanently available and affordable,” the company noted, adding that it is currently the only manufacturer to supply refrigeration units suitable for heavy-duty trucks that do not use high-emission diesel engines or f-gas-based refrigerants.
Beyond transport refrigeration, Tesco has been a long-time adopter of natural refrigerants. In the early 2000s, the retailer worked with Scottish OEM Star Refrigeration to transition its four R22-based distribution centers to ammonia (R717). As of October 2022, the supermarket chain has installed transcritical CO2 systems at around 1,000 of its stores – roughly one-third of its locations.
“We are working toward our goal of making our own operations carbon neutral by 2035 and our entire value chain carbon free by 2050,” explained Smith.
“Natural refrigerants are permanently available and affordable.”
ECOOLTEC
