Pro Refrigeration, a U.S. manufacturer of packaged CO2 (R744) chillers, has joined the world’s leading CO2 HVAC&R stakeholders as a bronze partner of the R744.com marketplace.

Founded in 1990, Pro Refrigeration produces industrial chillers for a range of end users, including dairy producers, craft-beverage makers and bakeries.

In addition to its headquarters in Auburn, Washington, the company also has a state-of-the-art production facility in Mocksville, North Carolina.

To celebrate Pro Refrigeration joining R744.com as a bronze partner, ATMOsphere’s Founder and CEO, Marc Chasserot recently interviewed Pro Refrigeration’s CEO, Jim VanderGiessen, Jr.

ATMOsphere is the publisher of R744.com

With a commitment to developing environmentally conscious refrigeration, Pro Refrigeration’s ProGreen Solution will shift 25% of its production away from f-gas-based refrigerants like R404A and over to CO2. According to the manufacturer, 97% of the equipment it produced in 2021 used R404A.

The ProGreen Solutions line, which uses CO2, minimizes the impact on global warming without sacrificing operating efficiency, the company said. In addition to providing cooling, the CO2 chillers offer increased heat reclamation potential for hot water generation, eliminating the need for fossil fuel heating sources, Pro added.

Last year, the manufacturer commissioned its first CO2-based chiller for a dairy in Tulare, California, owned by Bill Jongsma, demonstrating the benefits of natural refrigerants in reducing operating costs, improving operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact. In May 2022, Pro Refrigeration supplied a new CO2 chiller system to cool Alaska-based Denali Brewing and Spirits’ ready-to-drink cocktails.

Pro Refrigeration is currently working on a ProGreen CO2 chiller for South Creek Dairy in Pixley, California. Farm owner Christopher Jongsma became interested in the system after seeing the impact it had at his Uncle Bill Jongsma’s dairy in Tulare. According to a recent statement from the manufacturer, the system will cool the milk from the farm’s 3,900 dairy cows as well as providing 100% of the farm’s hot water through heat reclamation. The system is due to be installed at the dairy farm later this year.

“Between carbon reduction and increased heat recovery, the list of justifications for an R744 system keeps increasing,” said Damon Reed, Chief Revenue Officer at Pro Refrigeration.

“Between carbon reduction and increased heat recovery, the list of justifications for an R744 system keeps increasing.”

Pro Refrigeration’s existing customer Frog’s Leap Winery is also interested in learning more about the manufacturer’s ProGreen R744 system. The California winery currently has an R404A-based chiller from Pro Refrigeration but is looking for ways to achieve their climate goals.

“We realize if we eliminate chemical refrigerants from our winery, we have a big opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Pablo Polanco, Winemaker, Cellar Master and Facilities Director at Frog’s Leap Winery. “It is exciting to learn that CO2 can be used as a natural refrigerant.”

Want to find out more, or have something to say about this story? Join the ATMO Connect network to meet and engage with like-minded stakeholders in the clean cooling and natural refrigerant arena.

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