Advantages of natural refrigerants technology transfer presented by GIZ Proklima at 7th UNFCCC TEC Meeting

Earlier in September GIZ Proklima organised a side event to the UNFCCC 7^th Meeting of the Technology Executive Committee in Bonn, with the aim of supporting the TEC to identify intervention areas with high climate change mitigation potential. The presentations at the GIZ side event showed that the energy intensive refrigeration and air conditioning sector is one area where natural refrigerant technology development and transfer can accelerate mitigation and adaption.

The refrigeration and air-conditioning is a sector of high interest for the UNFCCC TEC, which considers and recommends actions to promote technology development and transfer to accelerate action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Estimated to account for 15 to 20% of global electricity consumption already today, it is projected that the energy demand for the cooling of buildings will grow by a factor of 14 between 2010 and 2050.

With the TEC currently in its orientation phase to identify specific intervention areas, the GIZ side event to the 7^th TEC Meeting in Bonn provided valuable information on opportunities for technology cooperation that can reduce the climate impact of the air conditioning and refrigeration at low cost.

Technology transfer of natural refrigerants to developing countries already proven

According to Bernhard Siegele’s, Programme Manager of GIZ Proklima, presentation, through its Green Cooling Initiative GIZ has already demonstrated the successful transfer of natural refrigerant technology to developing countries. For example, GIZ cooperated with China’s largest manufacturer of split ACs, Gree to introduce the first natural refrigerant production line. In a similar project GIZ cooperated with Godrej to introduce a hydrocarbon room air conditioner to the Indian market.

In Swaziland, in Africa, GIZ collaborated with Palfridge to convert the annual production of about 60,000 refrigerators to natural refrigerants, also training 500 employees and service technicians. GIZ was also instrumental in the conversion of the first Chinese refrigerator manufacturer to Greenfreeze, as far back as 1994.

RAC sector has greatest emission reduction potential

Siegele also put forward evidence that stationary AC has the most significant potential for reducing direct emissions, and these emissions can be avoided at low costs. Studies investigating the energy efficiency of climate friendly, R290 and R1270 window and split RACs for example, have found these to be 5-30% more efficient than comparable R22 units.

Capacity building key to successful introduction of new technologies

Shika Bhasin, a researcher at the German development Institute, stated that capacity building is one of the key elements to ensure that newly introduced technologies can find their way into the market. Christoph Brouwers from Carrier, echoed this fact, confirming that natural refrigerants, such as hydrocarbons or CO₂ can safely be handled by technicians in developing countries, if they receive training.

About the Technology Executive Committee

The Technology Executive Committee (TEC), together with the Climate Technology Centre and Network, is mandated to facilitate the effective implementation of the Technology Mechanism, under the guidance of the COP. The TEC has the following functions: