Natural Refrigerants: Pathways for Decarbonising Kiwifruit Cool Storage

The New Zealand Kiwifruit Post-Harvest Industry (KPHI) relies heavily on industrial refrigeration to maintain fruit quality and support global export growth. However, a comprehensive industry survey revealed that around 95% of refrigeration systems continue to use high Global Warming Potential (GWP) synthetic refrigerants, representing a substantial emissions liability of over 176,000 tCO2e

Funded through the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Primary Sector Growth Fund (PSGF) with support from EECA, this report completes a technical review of natural refrigerant options available for replacement and new coolstore systems.

Key Findings from the Technical Report

• Commercially Viable Alternatives: Proven natural refrigerant options are now available across all major kiwifruit post-harvest refrigeration applications.

• Lower Lifetime Cooling Costs: Carbon dioxide ($\text{CO}_2$) and ammonia-based systems significantly reduce refrigerant-related emissions while providing competitive lifetime operating costs.

• Staged Transitions for Existing Sites: For existing coolstores, a phased transition is the most practical path—converting to glycol reticulation while retaining existing plant assets until end-of-life.

• Standards for New Builds: Natural refrigerant systems are expected to become standard for all new coolstores, with CO2 direct expansion (DX) and ammonia-glycol systems delivering the lowest levelised cost of cooling.

• Focus on Energy Efficiency: Operating and energy expenses represent a massive proportion of total lifetime refrigeration costs, making efficiency critical during option reviews.

Download the Full Technical Report

Access the complete 33-page research paper to explore natural refrigerant pathways, levelised cost models, and practical decarbonisation roadmaps for New Zealand kiwifruit cool storage.



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