9. Conclusion

The many and varied applications of refrigeration are essential to life today, not only in everyday applications (food preservation, creating and maintaining ambient conditions in the workplace, leisure, transport, healthcare and industry), but also in research, space, superconductivity and new modes of locomotion.

Many refrigerants currently in use contribute to the increase in the direct greenhouse effect (impact of leaks). In addition, the almost universal use of electricity for cold production and distribution leads to an indirect greenhouse effect, depending on how the energy is produced.

New cold production technologies, improved energy performance and the use of zero or very low greenhouse effect fluids are being developed to limit CO ₂ emissions.