Noticias

The United Nations Sustainable Energy for All initiative has identified energy-efficient appliances as a "high-impact opportunity". They have the potential to reduce countries' greenhouse gas emissions, generate economic benefits, enhance energy security and improve people's wellbeing. Amongst a five-part series of United for Efficiency (U4E) reports, the Green Cooling Initiative (GCI) contributed to two guidelines on energy-efficient & climate-friendly refrigerators and air conditioners.

On May 23rd, the first African test chamber for refrigerated vehicles was officially inaugurated in Pretoria. The test chamber enables manufacturers to test their cooling units and increase their efficiency, hereby mitigating the high levels of emissions from the transport refrigeration sector.

Nine international RAC technicians and fifteen international RAC policy makers have successfully completed their "Cool Training"! They are now competent in the safe handling and policy frameworks of natural refrigerants. By implementing and spreading their newly acquired skills in their home countries, they are promoting the use of green cooling technologies.

The GCAI is in its final stages in Namibia and Mauritius. With the development of policy and technology roadmaps, the African frontrunner countries can effectively include the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the RAC sector in their national climate strategies.

The inadequate disposal and accumulation of old, faulty air conditioners and refrigerators containing ozone depleting refrigerants and foam blowing agents poses a considerable threat to the environment. In recognizing this, GIZ Proklima has published a series of guidelines outlining the adequate management of ODS banks, together with a manual that demonstrates the appropriate dismantling of cooling appliances.

On June 23rd, over 40 experts in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) and other related fields gathered at the Proklima Expert Talk of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to discuss and exchange experiences and perspectives on future trends, challenges and opportunities in the key action fields of green cooling and sustainable development.

The tourism sector is a front runner of Sri Lanka's economy; according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the travel and tourism sector accounted for over 10% of the island's overall GDP in 2015. Simultaneously, it is one of the major contributors to the national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A leading hotel chain on the island embarks on an innovative path to reduce its GHG emissions in a climate-friendly way.

Kenya, Namibia and Ghana have completed their Tier 2 IPCC RAC sector inventories after data verification workshops held in February and March 2017. The inventories will be used to create technological roadmaps to support future funding and mitigation activities in the countries' RAC sectors.

Since 2016 the Université de Mascareignes of Mauritius is providing training on CO2 as a natural refrigerant to contractors and students. The installation of a CO2-Ammonia plant is used to demonstrate the feasibility of climate-friendly, energy-efficient cooling technologies, and to advance the eradication of HFCs. As a small island developing state, Mauritius is bearing proportionally large hardships due to global warming.