This Chillventa 2026 Special Edition reads the exhibitor material for Nuremberg, 13–15 October, as a single body of evidence. Six shifts stand out: packaged CO₂ units reaching bakeries and single display cases, refrigerant charge counted in grams, data centre cooling arriving at a refrigeration fair, heat pumps supplying at boiler temperatures, efficiency moving from the component to the system, and the transition shipping as valves, fittings and heat exchangers. Alongside the preview, a table prints every efficiency figure from the exhibitors’ material with its baseline and who measured it.
In the interview, David Bolaños of Heatcraft explains why A2Ls are not a bridge in North America and where CO₂ does and does not fit. Six equipment suppliers describe how the site decides the data centre cooling system while the operator decides the refrigerant. Case studies from Enex Technologies and SWEP compare CO₂, ammonia and cascade systems across European climates and follow a transcritical CO₂ store in Sydney through 48 °C heat.
The issue also collects the quarter’s news you may have missed: SLB agreeing to buy Kelvion for 4.1 billion dollars, Madison Air’s 5.1 billion euro deal for ebm-papst, DEFRA leaving the 2027 GB quota cut unchanged, 18 US states and New York City suing the EPA over delayed HFC deadlines, and the EU plan for 4 million heat pump installations a year by 2030. Twelve product launches run from Johnson Controls’ 122 °C Sabroe heat pumps to Daikin’s DC-powered marine chiller concept.
