The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) concluded the 2025-26 season of its Natural Refrigerant Training Summit series, providing free training for technicians and expanded learning opportunities for the refrigeration sector.
The season brought together 1,756 participants. A total of 1,079 technicians received 8,866 hours of training, while 267 students took part in career fair programming. Events were held in California, Missouri and New York, marking the series’ first event in New York.
The 2025-26 season included the program’s first transcritical CO2 booster system startup workshop and a showcase dedicated entirely to CO2 remote condensing units. According to NASRC, 96% of attendees reported an improvement in their CO2 knowledge. The program also added a new industrial learning track.
The training was free for technicians through support from Elite Sponsors Albertsons, Amazon, BITZER US, Costco, Kroger and Walmart. California events received funding from the California Air Resources Board’s F-gas Reduction Incentive Program. The New York event was supported by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“The program’s continued growth demonstrates how eager the industry is for practical, hands-on education and collaboration,” said Danielle Wright, NASRC executive director. “From launching new training experiences to bringing the Summit to New York, we’re proud to continue expanding access to workforce development opportunities to prepare technicians and industry stakeholders for the future of sustainable refrigeration.”