RAC appliances are spreading rapidly across Africa, particularly in the cities. In rural areas, on the other hand, there is still a lack of refrigeration equipment for agriculture and medical care. The rising number of RAC will contribute to increased energy needs as well as the use of refrigerant gases, many of which are highly damaging to the ozone layer and the global climate. To limit this dual impact, it is necessary to introduce a wide range of ozone- and climate-friendly cooling solutions.

ROCA (Refroidissement respectueux de l'Ozone et du Climat en Afrique de l'Ouest et Centrale) contributes to an increasing use of Green Cooling technologies through improving the policy and regulatory framework on the one hand and building capacity for the use of such technologies on the other.

ROCA includes the following measures: 

• Analysing current and future cooling demands in the partner countries (RAC inventories)
• Advisory services for the governments, based on RAC inventories and assessment of existing policies
• Trainings of RAC technicians on safe handling of natural refrigerants online and in Germany (Cool Trainings) as well as in the partner countries
• regional workshops on climate finance and business models to promote the accelerated adoption of ozone- and climate-friendly as well as energy-efficient appliances using natural refrigerants
• Pilot projects using Green Cooling technologies; e.g.
  • Air Conditioning: R290-ACs for public buildings
  • Food Security:
    • cold rooms for agricultural cooperatives in Mali and Senegal;
    • an ice machine for a fishermen's cooperative in Senegal
    • a cold chain between the slaughterhouse and the market in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
  • Good Health: cooling for vaccines in Burkina Faso and for a hospital in Cameroon

The project is co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).