Philippine Cold Stores Spend 25-35% of Revenue on Electricity.
Most of It Is Wasted on Defrost.
Electric defrost consumes 21% of total cold store energy. R404A creates PFAS and Scope 1 liability. iCOOL CO₂ + FLX Flex Defrost eliminates both — with a patent-pending thermosyphon system that uses zero electrical energy to defrost.
Why Philippine Cold Stores Are Switching to CO₂
HFC cold stores face four escalating pressures: wasted defrost energy, PFAS regulation, system inefficiency, and climate disclosure.
21% Defrost Energy Waste
Electric defrost heaters consume 21% of total cold store electricity. Each cycle adds heat directly into the cold room, forcing compressors to work harder to re-cool. Use our Cold Chain Energy Flow Analyser to see exactly where your energy goes.
R404A PFAS Liability
R404A (GWP 3,922) contains fluorinated gases classified as PFAS. The Kigali Amendment requires HFC phase-down, and PFAS regulations may further restrict R404A. CO₂ (GWP 1) has zero PFAS content and zero HFC phase-down exposure — a future-proof refrigerant choice.
NCG Penalty: 5-15% Energy Loss
Non-condensable gases (air, moisture) leak into HFC and ammonia systems over time, accumulating in condensers and raising head pressure by 5-15%. iCOOL CO₂ operates at positive pressure throughout the entire cycle, preventing NCG ingress entirely.
SEC PFRS S2 Disclosure
Philippine listed companies must disclose Scope 1 refrigerant emissions. R404A leaks at 15-25% annually, creating GWP 3,922 × charge × leak rate in CO₂e. Switching to CO₂ (GWP 1) eliminates this Scope 1 liability and simplifies climate reporting.
FLX Flex Defrost — Zero Electrical Defrost
FLX uses a passive thermosyphon to transfer heat from the condenser side to the evaporator coils during defrost, melting frost without any electrical heater elements. No electrical draw. No heat injection into the cold room. No product temperature excursion. The system operates on the natural temperature differential between condenser and evaporator — completely passive once initiated.
Patent: PCT/WO2022069581A1
Recommended Products for Cold Chain
A complete CO₂ cold store solution: refrigeration, defrost, monitoring, and ultra-low temperature.
iCOOL CO₂
Transcritical CO₂ refrigeration. 6-350kW. COP 3.5-4.0. Medium and low temperature. GWP 1. Zero PFAS. Zero NCG ingress.
FLX Flex Defrost
Patent-pending thermosyphon defrost. 9.25 kWh saved per cycle. Zero electrical draw. <0.5°C product temperature variation.
iSAVE
Smart monitoring. Real-time temperature logging, energy analytics, HACCP compliance alerts, and carbon reporting for SEC PFRS S2.
iCRYO
Ultra-low temperature to -120°C. Air-cycle (R729). 100% oil-free, zero GWP. Pharmaceutical and blast freezing applications.
Engineering Tools for Cold Chain
Free calculators to model your cold store energy flows and savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FLX Flex Defrost?
FLX is a patent-pending thermosyphon defrost system (PCT/WO2022069581A1) that eliminates electrical defrost heaters entirely. It uses passive heat transfer to defrost evaporator coils with zero electrical draw, saving 9.25 kWh per cycle and maintaining product temperature within 0.5°C during defrost.
How much does defrost waste cost a Philippine cold store?
Electric defrost typically consumes 21% of total cold store energy. For a medium-sized facility, this equates to ₱41,000-₱61,500 in wasted electricity per year. FLX eliminates this entirely while also reducing product temperature variation that causes quality loss and shrinkage.
What is the R404A PFAS liability?
R404A contains fluorinated gases classified as PFAS. With GWP of 3,922 and typical leak rates of 15-25% per year, R404A creates significant Scope 1 CO₂e liabilities under SEC PFRS S2. The Kigali Amendment requires HFC phase-down. CO₂ (GWP 1) avoids all PFAS and HFC exposure.
Can CO₂ refrigeration work in Philippine tropical conditions?
Yes. iCOOL CO₂ uses transcritical operation with adiabatic gas coolers and parallel compression, engineered for high-ambient conditions. The system maintains COP 3.5-4.0 at 35°C ambient through optimised gas cooler design and flash gas bypass.
What is NCG penalty in cold stores?
Non-condensable gases (air, moisture) leak into systems operating below atmospheric pressure, accumulating in condensers and raising head pressure by 5-15%. iCOOL CO₂ operates at positive pressure throughout the entire cycle, preventing NCG ingress and maintaining design efficiency over the system lifetime.
See Where Your Cold Store Energy Goes
Book a free cold store audit or try our Cold Chain Energy Flow Analyser to model your facility and calculate FLX savings.