Green Coke

The Coca-Cola Co. is going green with its coolers and vending machines.

The Atlanta-based beverage giant said Thursday that all of its new vending machines and coolers will be hydrofluorocarbon-free (HFC-free) by 2015. Coca-Cola uses two HFC-free solutions: Hydrocarbon refrigeration is used in smaller refrigeration equipment, and carbon dioxide is used in larger equipment.

The transition to HFC-free refrigeration will cut the equipment’s direct greenhouse-gas emissions by 99 percent. Coca-Cola and its bottling partners have some 10 million coolers and vending machines around the world, and cutting the use of HFCs in these machines will be like taking more than 11 million cars off the road for one year, the company said.

“Climate change is real, and the time to act on solutions is now,” said Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola. “Greenpeace has played a critical role in raising our awareness about the need for natural refrigeration. Our announcement today demonstrates a commitment to use our influence in the marketplace to drive innovation and help shape a low-carbon future.”

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said it has spent more than $50 million in research and development to advance the use of climate-friendly cooling technologies. In 2010 alone, it and its bottling partners will buy at least 150,000 units of HFC-free equipment.