A control method for a switchgear cabinet refrigerating apparatus which comprises a first refrigerant circuit with a refrigerating machine and a second refrigerant circuit separate therefrom with a heat pipe arrangement, wherein ambient air of a switchgear cabinet is passed through an outer circuit of the switchgear cabinet refrigerating apparatus for heat dissipation and air to be cooled from the interior of the switchgear cabinet is passed through an inner circuit of the switchgear cabinet refrigerating apparatus, the method comprising the steps - continuously or periodically measuring a current switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) and determining a setpoint temperature for the switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ), wherein the current switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) and the setpoint temperature form input signals of a controller for actuating the switch cabinet cooling device, and wherein the controller outputs a control signal for determining manipulated variables of the refrigerating machine as a function of the input signals; - defining the controller control signal as a measured variable which is proportional to the respective current cooling power requirement (P), wherein the cooling power requirement is that cooling power which is required to keep the switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) constantly at the setpoint temperature; characterized by the steps: - continuously or periodically measuring the switch cabinet ambient temperature (T u ) and determining an energy efficiency or a representative quantity for the first and the second refrigerant circuit, respectively, at the measured temperatures (T i , T u ) and the target temperature using refrigeration equipment characteristics for the first and the second refrigerant circuit, for the two cases that the cooling power requirement is to be provided with either the first or the second refrigerant circuit; and - selecting and commissioning the one of the two refrigerant circuits that can provide the cooling capacity requirement with the better energy efficiency. - continuously or periodically measuring a current switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) and determining a setpoint temperature for the switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ), wherein the current switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) and the setpoint temperature form input signals of a controller for actuating the switch cabinet cooling device, and wherein the controller outputs a control signal for determining manipulated variables of the refrigerating machine as a function of the input signals; - defining the controller control signal as a measured variable which is proportional to the respective current cooling power requirement (P), wherein the cooling power requirement is that cooling power which is required to keep the switch cabinet internal temperature (T i ) constantly at the setpoint temperature; - continuously or periodically measuring the switch cabinet ambient temperature (T u ) and determining an energy efficiency or a representative quantity for the first and the second refrigerant circuit, respectively, at the measured temperatures (T i , T u ) and the target temperature using refrigeration equipment characteristics for the first and the second refrigerant circuit, for the two cases that the cooling power requirement is to be provided with either the first or the second refrigerant circuit; and - selecting and commissioning the one of the two refrigerant circuits that can provide the cooling capacity requirement with the better energy efficiency. <EOS>