Ozone and Climate Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa (ROCA)

The ROCA project promotes ozone- and climate-friendly cooling technologies in the four African countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali and Senegal. It started in April 2021 and will run until March 2025.

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.

**Technicians at a training for Senegal's network of women in refrigeration, February 2023**

Text

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. In our understanding, Green Cooling is the use of natural refrigerants combined with energy efficient appliances (→ learn more). ROCA is the first project with a focus on natural refrigerants in West and Central Africa.

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).

Learn more about Alimata

"As refrigeration technicians, we contribute to environmental pollution and global warming", explains Alimata COULIBALY KINDO, trainer in refrigeration and air conditioning . Her sector is responsible for around 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are caused by the high electricity consumption of the appliances and the high global warming potential of the refrigerants in use. In October 2022, Ms Coulibaly took part in our Cool Training. "In the GIZ Cool Training, I learnt how to use natural refrigerants to reduce pollution and save energy."
One year later, she says that she uses the content of the training in her lessons. She says: "Other generations will come after us. So we are all called upon to protect this planet!"

The project "Climate and Ozone Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa (ROCA)" has trained more than 150 instructors in its project countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali and Senegal. In Burkina Faso alone, those trainers have teached over 2 700 students in 2023.

Country: Burkina Faso

Project: ROCA (opens in a new window)

Donors: European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Listen to Alimata and other Cool Training participants who explain the advantages of natural refrigerants:

This video is being blocked because of your cookie settings.

Learn more about Simplice

Simplice Tirogo is a nurse and head of the centre for health care and social support in Tovor, Burkina Faso. The project 'Ozone and Climate Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa (ROCA)' supported his health care centre with a vaccine refrigerator in 2023. "Our refrigerator was broken since 2020, so the vaccines had to be stored in a neighbouring village. Each time, we had to travel 15 km to bring back the vaccines in a transport box that lasted cold during only a day or two. That means, the cold chain was not sufficient and many vaccines spoiled", explains Simplice Tirogo. "Since we received the refrigerator, we can store the vaccines and keep them fresh on site. We can now instantly immunise the pregnant women and the children who come here and whose vaccinations had to be postponed before. This is very satisfying. I thank all partners who made this possible."

During the first year after the acquisition, 11 000 persons profited from vaccinations in Tovor and in nine other newly equipped health care centres. The new refrigerators are even more climate-friendly than the previous ones: they are very energy-efficient and run on the natural refrigerant isobutane (R600a). The necessary electricity comes from solar panels.

Country: Burkina Faso

Project: ROCA (opens in a new window)

Donors: European Union, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Latest News

World Ozone Day in Burkina Faso

10.10.2024 , News :

On the occasion of the 37th commemoration of World Ozone Protection Day, the Ozone and Climate Friendly Cooling in West and Central Africa (ROCA) project officially handed over cooling materials and equipment to the Ouagadougou refrigerated abattoir on Friday, September 20, 2024.

(opens enlarged image) — **Ribbon-cutting by ROCA project coordinator Ms. Pauline Zaba for the handover of one of the cold rooms.**

A double ceremony at Ouagadougou Abattoir Frigorifique

Two renovated chambers, tools for training technicians, three transport refrigeration units - this is the composition of the set of equipment made available to the Ouagadougou refrigerated abattoir and the Bureau National Ozone in order to improve its conservation system and meet the needs of the operators on the one hand, and strengthen the capacity of the refrigeration workers on the other.

Mr. Francisco Bellafont, representative of the Head of the European Union Delegation, stated that “the equipment and materials handed over, although modest, effectively contribute to increasing the energy and environmental performance of these facilities with a view to enabling our country, Burkina Faso, to meet the challenge of climate change, which is standing in the way of development”.

The purchase of this equipment, worth a total of 247,126.13 euros (163,100,775 FCFA), was made possible thanks to GIZ's project ROCA (opens in a new window), financed by the European Union and Germany through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

For the Managing Director of the Société de Gestion de l'Abattoir Frigorifique de Ouagadougou (SOGEAO), Mrs. Fatimata Zerbo Zongo , this donation is “a jewel that will enable us to offer our customers, the butchers, and over two million consumers of meat and meat products, refrigeration services that meet preservation standards and are more respectful of the environment”. She also praised the enthusiasm of ROCA project coordinator Ms. Pauline Zaba for the successful outcome of the project.

The handover took place during the celebration of the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, organized on September 20, 2024 at SOGEAO by the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Sanitation in partnership with ROCA. This day is an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting the ozone layer and the 1987 Montreal Protocol.

The representative of the Minister for Water, Environment and Sanitation stated that “the Montreal Protocol is universally recognized as an exemplary success of multilateralism. It has united nations to phase out ozone-depleting substances, putting the ozone layer on the road to recovery and protecting all life on Earth". On behalf of the Minister, he presented an award to the ROCA project for its contribution and commitment to environmental and climate protection.

ROCA (opens in a new window)

Launched in 2021, the ROCA project has carried out a number of actions, such as training in refrigeration, raising awareness of the need to protect the ozone layer, donating equipment to health and training centers, establishing a baseline situation for the refrigeration sector, proposing Minimum Energy Performance Standards for the refrigeration sector, and so on.

In addition, 200 R290 air conditioners will be donated in the next few days to public services. Furthermore, the ROCA project is committed to supporting the Burkinabe government in its efforts to build a low-carbon, green and resilient economy for the well-being of all.