Walmart to deploy eco-friendly refrigerant in Mexico, Central America

Walmart is moving to reduce its carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency across stores in Mexico, Central America.

Honeywell said that Walmart will use its reduced global-warming potential refrigerant Solstice^{N40 (R-448A) in select stores in Mexico and Central America. The project will cover more than 160 supermarket refrigeration systems in the region. The use of Solstice will help Walmart reduce its carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency, with the deployment representing a potential reduction of 130,000 metric tons of CO2e.}

Based on hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, Solstice N40 offers a global warming potential (GWP) that is approximately 68% lower than legacy hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants such as R-404A, according to Honeywell. It is the supermarket industry’s most widely accepted, lowest GWP, nonflammable replacement for R-404A, with more than 60,000 installations globally since its release in 2015, the company said. 

In April, Whole Foods Market said it planned to retrofit the commercial refrigeration systems at more than 100 stores with Solstice N40, replacing high-global-warming-potential refrigerants R-404A and R-22.

Walmart has addressed the climate crisis by targeting zero carbon emissions in its global operations by 2040 without relying on carbon offsets. Its goal to be a regenerative company includes transitioning to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs, data centers and distribution centers. 

“With the adoption of Solstice N40, Walmart de México y Centroamérica joins the industry chorus who have sung the praises of this solution — a cost-effective refrigerant with reduced global warming potential that meets high standards for performance and energy efficiency in commercial refrigeration,” said Ken West, president and CEO, Honeywell Advanced Materials. “We are proud to assist Walmart in meeting its sustainability targets, which are aligned with Honeywell’s own commitment to carbon neutrality.”

Solstice N40 offers GWP that is approximately 68% lower than legacy HFC refrigerants like R-404A. It also consumes less energy. In U.S. and European supermarket trials that compared Solstice N40 to R-404A, Solstice N40 refrigeration systems had an average of between 5% and 15% lower energy consumption. 

Honeywell’s Solstice technology, which is used in various applications, has avoided the potential release of the equivalent of more than 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to eliminating the potential emissions from more than 52 million cars for one year. The company recently expanded the line, introducing Solstice N71, as some supermarkets, including those in California and Europe, are faced with new, stricter standards for refrigerants.

Walmart through its Walmex division operates 3,569 stores and clubs and 31 distribution centers in Mexico and Central America, with a presence in 690 cities in six countries.