The workshop addressed safety while planning, operating and maintaining systems with hydrocarbon refrigerants
The Western Cape Government (WCG), together with the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection, the Bavarian Environment Agency and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH jointly hosted a Technical Workshop on the safe application of hydrocarbon technologies on 16 & 17 September 2021.
The technical workshop addressed safety while planning, operating and maintaining systems with hydrocarbon refrigerants. The virtual workshop brought together government, manufacturers, distributors, and servicing companies to discuss how to improve safety and reduce risks as well as improve the uptake of hydrocarbon refrigerant applications in the Western Cape region. The event addressed needs related to the implementation of international and national policy requirements and legislation, competence levels of technicians for safe installation and repair of energy efficient and climate-friendly equipment.
During the panel discussion on the second day, the challenges facing the uptake of hydrocarbon refrigerant technologies in South Africa were intensively discussed. The panellists were composed of representatives from the South African RAC industry, among them Dawie Kriel (Energy Partners), Hannes Steyn (GEA Africa), Troy O’Mant (The Fridge Factory), and RAC/HVAC associations, among them Grant Laidlaw (SAIRAC); Hennie Basson (SARACCA) and Jürgen Oliver (ASHRAE). The panel was completed by international RAC experts Rolf Huehren and Edgar Timm (HEAT) and a representative of West Coast College (Andre Muller).
The latter is a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College in Western Cape which was selected for the RAC pilot project implemented jointly by Western Cape Government (WCG), the Bavarian Environment Agency and GIZ. The projects aim is to facilitate and enable training and demonstration on natural refrigerant technologies for RAC technicians. For this project, the Green Cooling Initiative provides funding to co-finance the equipment needed for the training on natural refrigerants at West Coast College.