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News
Supplied by Grant Laidlaw
by industry into the phase down processes as of 2024 . HFCs R410a , R134a and R404a stand out due to their widespread usage and relatively high global warming potential .
F-gas emissions 2000 - 2022 South Africa
IMPACT ON INDUSTRY The time of the writing of this paper is prior to the national ozone depletion unit meeting in September 2024 . More light should be shed on the subject , the impact of the climate change bill and the way forward in the September meeting .
Although many initiatives and schedules are in place the bill serves to strengthen and formalise the countries ’ response to the issues highlighted .
The main objective of this HCFC Phase out Management Plan ( HPMP ) is to enable the government of South Africa to phase-out its HCFC consumption in the servicing sector which is by far the biggest consumer of HCFCs . Without measures to reduce HCFC demand , South Africa would not be able to meet its obligations under the Montreal Protocol .
This HPMP Stage 1 has therefore been implemented through the combination of investment and non- investment activities in the refrigeration and air-conditioning service sectors of South Africa . Stage 2 has been implemented from 2020 - 2030 and is to result in a complete phase out of 100 %.
The government believes it is important to engage in the promotion of alternatives at the earliest stage and in tandem with the awareness raising related to the banning of HCFC-22 . Without some activity to communicate and demonstrate the availability and suitability of low GWP solutions the ban will increase the consumption of HFCs . ( As can be seen from chart ; F-gas emissions , 2000 - 2022 )
The HPMP therefore includes activities to promote alternative technologies and raise awareness and engagement in the refrigeration sector . Stakeholders feel the impact of this activity would come from the signal it sent to the market and the commitments that could be gained from private sector users , particularly in the commercial refrigeration sub-sector .
The activities planned under the HPMP to fulfil the obligation to phase out 35 % of the HCFC baseline by 2020 envisaged , among others , the support and upgrade of the competencies in the service sector to improve the capability to decrease leakages and facilitate re-use of refrigerants and retrofits of HCFC systems to non-ODS and natural refrigerants as well as upgrade of the competencies on use of alternatives ( in particular low-GWP technologies that are currently in limited use ).
In development of this process the aims therefore are :
• To up-skill technicians in the sector that are currently unaware of natural refrigerants
• To create an awareness as to Ozone depletion , global warming and the necessity to embrace the use of natural refrigerants
• To update the national training qualifications and curriculum to include natural refrigerant training , assessment and certification
• To address issues of resistance to change regarding the implementation of natural refrigerants and to effect behavioural change
• To educate / inform persons working in the air conditioning and refrigeration sectors around exposure to hazardous / flammable substances detrimental to themselves , the public and the environment
• To educate persons from the informal and formal sectors working on natural domestic systems against the detrimental practice of reverting HC systems back to HFC 134a
• To overcome the considerable resistance to change ( eg : R134a to R600a )
• To educate persons who are working in the informal and formal sectors as to the legalities around the OHS Act and Pressure Vessel Regulations
• To improve the poor quality of workmanship due to nontrained personnel attending to repairs
• To reduce the rate of refrigerant leakage
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RACA Journal I November 2024 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za