Making the best of it – Highlights of the HCFC Phase-Out projects

11.12.2020 , News :

Despite particular challenges in 2020, the HCFC phase-out activities ran on as best they could. We have asked our Proklima team involved in the HPMP projects around the globe about their highlights and prospects for the new year.

Africa

“One of my highlights was the meeting with our African partner NOUs in Nairobi in February this year”, says Birgit Mayer. She is coordinating the GIZ Proklima’s HPMP activities in Africa. The goal of this meeting was to strengthen the network between African NOUs who are implementing HPMPs, Enabling Activities or future HFC Phase-Down Projects with GIZ and to plan the activities for the year 2020. An objective that has clearly been achieved: “We received very positive feedback from our partner NOUs for the meeting. I am very happy about the excellent cooperation enabling us to maintain our activities despite these exceptional circumstances.”

Many activities have been carried out, including custom officers’ and clearing agents’ trainings in Namibia, technicians trainings in Zimbabwe and a first virtual custom officers training in Kenya. RAC tools and equipment were delivered to several countries. “We are also working with the NOU in Egypt to upgrade a training institute to a "Centre of Excellence for Flammables", says Birgit. Furthermore, an amendment of the ODS regulations in the Seychelles was prepared and is now in the final approval stages. A special highlight is the initiation of a supply chain for R290-ACs in Mauritius. For 2021, one of our focuses will be to establish supply chains for R290 ACs and to implement demonstration projects for natural refrigerants in the commercial sector.

Asia

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, some trainings for RAC technicians could take place despite the adverse conditions. “In cooperation with UN agencies, we also provided technical consultancy for stakeholders and factories in order to convert their production line to natural refrigerants”, says Nastaran Ale-Ali from Teheran. A further highlight was the virtual Ozone Day ceremony organised by the National Ozone Unit of Iran.

**The Director of the National Ozone Unit, Dr. Hajizadeh (left), during the virtual Ozone Day Ceremony in Iran**

**The Ozone Day ceremony in China was broadcasted live on CCTV**

When Wang Yin, project coordinator of HPMP China, thinks of the year 2020, the Ozone Day also comes to his mind. “The virtual ceremony had more than 200 attendees”, he says. The event was organised by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and has made it to the evening news XIN WEN LIAO BO of China Central Television, China's largest public service broadcaster similar to BBC News. For 2021, China and also India are looking forward to HPMP stage II including a variety of activities such as trainings of various stakeholders.

Latin-America

The HPMP Brazil team trained more than 350 RAC technicians and launched its newly designed website (opens in a new window). A further highlight is their instructional video series „Best Practices in Minutes” (opens in a new window) for RAC technicians in Portuguese. “Another video that was released is about Results of the Demonstration Projects for Better HCFC-22 Containment in Supermarkets (opens in a new window) showing how to prevent refrigerant leaks from refrigeration systems”, says Ana Bárbara Zanella, technical advisor from Brasilia. The video is available in Portuguese with English subtitles.

In 2021, the trainings will continue, and refrigeration systems based on CO₂ and propane will be installed in two partner training institutions.

**Training in CTGAS in Brazil © CTGAS-ER**

After the installation of a CO₂ NH₃ cascade system and a corresponding training in Colombia end of 2019, preparations took place to use the system as one of the demonstration units for future national and regional Cool Trainings. “We expect to have our first training very soon!”, says Maria Carolina Velez, technical advisor based in Bogotá.

**New tools to the Antonio Baraya School in Bogotá**

In Mexico, the focus was on qualification, certification and registration of RAC technicians. “We defined the scope of the standard of competence and planned the steps related to its implementation”, says Yuriana Gonzalez Ulloa, technical advisor working in Mexico-City. In 2021, the project will concentrate on three activities. First, a certification standard for RAC technicians handling HC refrigerants will be developed. Secondly, trainers will be trained on the safe use of HC. Last but not least, a CO₂-HC cascade refrigeration system will be designed and built. “The objective is to integrate this system into a training centre for training purposes”, adds Miriam Frisch, technical advisor in Germany.