Grenada Prepares for the New Refrigerant Reality

Friday June 28th, 2019, St. George’s, Grenada: As part of the celebrations to mark World Refrigeration Day 2019, the National Ozone Unit (NOU) in the Energy Division of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development Public Utilities, Energy, Transport and Implemetnation organized a National Refrigerant Symposium for stakeholders in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry in Grenada. The main objectives of the Symposium were to create awareness among refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) stakeholders on the new and emerging refrigerant technologies. The Symposium also aimed to highlight some of the major opportunities and challenges the RAC sector faces and to identify recommendations for the smooth transition to these new technologies. The Symposium feature a wide range of presentations by several experts on key topics including:

• Responsible use of refrigerants;
• The refrigerant journey
• Market access to new refrigerant technologies
• Opportunities, challenges and barriers to new refrigerant technology uptake
• New obligations related to refrigerants under the Kigali Amendment.

Among the stakeholders present at the symposium were: RAC equipment and refrigerant importers, procurement officers, government officials, RAC technicians, the Grenada Bureau of Standards, academia and training institutions and end users.

Marketing companies were also given an opportunity to promote the availability and accessibility of low/zero GWP, energy efficient RAC technologies that are either already on the island or soon to be introduced. The participants were informed that there are two Grenadian based companies that have Hydrocarbon (R290) mini-split AC units commercially available and that there are three companies already supplying the hydrocarbon refrigerants. An announcement was made on the testing of R-32 equipment by another company and to make them commercially available on the local market by the third quarter of 2019. A rebate of XCD 100.00 will be offered for every ton of cooling capacity of R-22 and R-410A replaced with the new R-32 equipment. The representative from the Grenada Bureau of Standards also informed of the two new standards that were established for the RAC sector and gave an insight on others that are currently been developed.

In support of these initiatives, National Ozone Offcier, Leslie Smith informed the participants, that the NOU would continue to provide capacity development, training opportunities and equipment for stakeholders in Grenada in preparation for the new refrigerant reality.

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First President of GRAVA recognized on World Refrigeration Day

Joseph Michael Mitchell, is one Grenada’s longest standing, active technician in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector.  His service to the sector dates back as far as 1972, when he entered the Grenada Technical and Vocational Institute (GTVI) to pursue the program in refrigeration and air conditioning. Forty seven (47) years later, he is still actively pursuing this career.

Upon completing his studies at GTVI in 1975, he immediately gained employment with Jonas Browne and Hubbards, one of the leading appliance suppliers, as a service technician. Like a bedrock, he remained with Hubbards until his retirement in 2019.  At Hubbard’s he climbed to the position of Senior Technician and Supervisor with responsibility for installation, repair maintenance and servicing of refrigeration and air-condition equipment in the commercial department.

In 2006, himself together with some other stalwarts in the field and with support from the National Ozone Unit (NOU), founded the Grenada Refrigeration, Air-conditioning and Ventilating Association (GRAVA). He was elected as the first President of GRAVA and served in that capacity for six consecutive years, from 2006 to 2012.  Currently, he is the treasurer of the Association.

He has also been engaged as a training consultant, providing training for technicians in Suriname, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, Barbados and Grenada.  Mr. Mitchell is considered as one of the main pioneers in the introduction of Hydrocarbons – R-290 refrigerants  in AC units in Grenada and the region.  He is an advocate for natural refrigerants and has been involved in training technicians in safe use of hydrocarbons and retrofitting of equipment.

Forty seven (47) years later he has kept himself abreast with all the technological advancements in the sector and has completed several courses and certifications.

Forty seven (47) years later, on the occasion of the first World Refrigeration Day celebration, the honor was bestowed upon him, as he was presented with a Lifetime Award from the National Ozone Unit, for uninterrupted service and outstanding contribution to the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in Grenada.

IEC Approves increase charge size limits for flammable refrigerants

The flammable refrigerant charge of commercial refrigeration appliances with an incorporated unit is currently ruled by IEC 60335-2-89. The charge is currently limited to 150 grams. Since 2014, a working group has been elaborating a proposal to raise this load to 500 grams for “highly flammable” refrigerants (classified A3) and 1200g for “flammable” (A2) or “mildly flammable” (A2L) refrigerants.
In July 2018, the National Committees voted 75% in favor of this proposal, whose vote was submitted to the various CIS member countries in March and April 2019.

In early May, the IEC announced that the measure was finally adopted. Commercial refrigerating appliances with an incorporated unit should therefore now be able to use flammable  type A and A2 / A2L refrigerants with respective loads of 500g and 1200g.
This is an important step that can contribute to the progressive reduction of HFCs, and also respects the Kigali Amendment and the European F-Gas Regulation.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is in charge of
standardization in the fields of electricity, electronics, electromagnetic
compatibility, nanotechnology and related technologies. Its work is complementary to that of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), specialists in all other fields.

The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), 29 May 2019

Grenada Celebrates World Refrigeration Day

St. George’s, Grenada, June 21st, 2019.  The National Ozone Unit (NOU), Grenada, will join a number of refrigeration and air-conditioning institutions and organisations around the globe in celebrating the inaugural, World Refrigeration Day (WRD), on Wednesday June 26th, 2019.  The celebrations in Grenada will be centered around the theme: “Refrigerants for Life”. The NOU would also use the opportunity to join with the rest of the industry associations and professionals in the clarion call in raising awareness and understanding of the significant role that the refrigeration, air conditioning  industry plays in today’s fast changing world.

To celebrate, the NOU has organised a half-day Symposium, focusing on several aspects of new and emerging refrigerant technology. The Symposium will be held on Wednesday June 26, 2019 at the Public Workers Union (PWU) building in Tanteen, St. George’s, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Several experts and industry professionals in the RAC sector in Grenada will deliver presentations on the following topics:

SESSION 1:          9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Everything you wanted to know about refrigerants but was too scared to ask.

Moderator:             Mr. Christopher Joseph

• Montreal Protocol  – Phase-out and phase-down of refrigerants – Leslie Smith (National Ozone Officer)
• Understanding refrigerants – why are refrigerants so critical – Dr. John Telesford, Professor, TAMCC
• The refrigerant journey – Mr. Curllan Bhola (GIZ Technical Consultant)

SESSION 2:          10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Preparing Grenada for the New Refrigerant Reality

Moderator:             Mrs. Terah Antoine

• Let’s Communicate: Public awareness and Education – Ms. Wendy Frederick, Rural Development Management Specialist, 
• Responsible use of refrigerants – Mr.  Lance Simpson Operations Manager – Cooling Tech ltd)
• Market access to new refrigerant technologies (Greenz Concept, Modern Electrical Solutions, Cooling Tech)

SESSION 3:          11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. The Road Map to a Smooth Refrigerant Technology Transfer Process

Moderator:             Ms. Kerricia Hobson

• Opportunities, challenges and barriers to new refrigerant uptake – Mr. Curllan Bhola, (GIZ Technical Consultant)
• Policy and legislative measures – Mr. Robert Medford, (Director, Grenada Bureau of Standards)
• Capacity development, training and equipment upgrade – Mr. Henry Frederick RAC Consultant

The Guest of Honor at the event is Mr. Joseph Michael Mitchell, a long standing RAC expert who was also a founding member and the first President of the Grenada Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Association (GRAVA).  Mr. Mitchell will be presented with a Lifetime Award from the NOU.

National Ozone Officer meets with GIZ team to discuss the C4 and SPODS Projects

National Ozone Unit, Carenage, St. George’s Grenada. May 19th, 2019. The National Ozone Unit (NOU) was the host of a special meeting with the GIZ to discuss matters relevant to  two projects that the NOU and GIZ are partnering on; the Cool Contributions fighting Climate Change (C4)  and the Sustainable Phase Out of Ozone Depleting Substances (SPODS) projects.

The team from the GIZ that met with the National Ozone Officer, Mr. Leslie Smith included GIZ Technical Advisor, Ms. Marion Geiss and Technical Consultant on the C4 project, Mr. Curllan Bhola.

The objective of the meeting was to evaluate the progress made, review and update the work plans for both projects and to discuss new initiatives. Among the many issues discussed under the C4 project included, the RAC national inventory report, the AC pilot project on natural refrigerants, Cool Training and the national cooling strategy.  With regards to the SPODs project, discussions were held on the ODS banks inventory, a strategy for disposal and a communications strategy for the NOU. The meeting also discussed an AC case study at the Belmont Estate Chocolate Factory.

Thirty two (32) more RAC technicians trained in safe handling of hydrocarbon refrigerants

May 10th, 2019, St. George’s, Grenada:  The National Ozone Unit (NOU) of Grenada continues to intensify  its approach  in ensuring that the capacity of refrigeration and air conditioning technicians on the island is enhanced to handle flammable refrigerants – hydrocarbons.  The use of hydrocarbons in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector is increasing rapidly in Grenada, particularly in domestic and small commercial refrigeration and unitary/split air-conditioning systems.  Hydrocarbon refrigerants (R-600a, R-290 and R-1270) have been identified as a suitable replacement for the high global warming flourinated gases (HFCs). These natural refrigerants have zero ozone depleting potential (ODP), negligible global warming potential (<3) and are very energy efficient.  However, they have a safety classification as A3, meaning that they are non-toxic and flammable.  Therefore it is extremely important that RAC technicians are trained in the safe installation, servicing and maintenance practices when handling these refrigerants.

The National Ozone Unit in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) organized a two-day training on Wednesday May 8^th to Thursday May 9th, 2019 at the T A Marryshow Community College, St. George’s, Grenada for RAc technicians.  This training was geared for RAC technicians with at least three years’ experience in the field. The focus of the training was on the safe handling of flammable refrigerants. Day one of the training covered the theoretical aspects and day two was used for practical sessions. Several local technicians, workshops and companies were invited to participate in the training. Over the two days a total of 32 technicians including 28 males and 4 females participated. Over 60% RAC technicians in Grenada have received some level of training in hydrocarbon refrigerant technology.

Two (2) local RAC trainers and the National Ozone Officer were used to conduct the training. Some of the major topics covered in the training included:

• Properties of hydrocarbons
• Risk assessment
• Legislation, policy and standards
• Fire and electrical safety
• Charge limitation and room size calculations
• Personal protective equipment and specialize tools and equipment required for installation and servicing
• Leak detection
• Installation, servicing and maintenance practices
• Brazing and pipe connections

During the practical training, the participants were required to demonstrate their competencies in brazing, flare joint connections, leak and pressure testing, evacuation, venting and charging of refrigerants.

During the evaluation participants were asked to give their overall rating of the training. Out of 27 respondents, 18 viewed the training as been excellent, 8 as very good and 1 as good.

At the end of the training, certificates of participation were presented by the Chief Planning Officer in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Public Utilities, Energy, Transport and Implementation to all participants.

Participants at the training

R-290 Air Conditioners are now commercially available in Grenada

Last Friday, the first Natural Refrigerant air-conditioning system was installed in Grenada on commercial basis by Grenz Concept. The recently establish business seized the opportunity to fulfil the need for highly efficient, climate friendly air conditioning systems in Grenada and the region.

The first environmental issue with the cooling sector was its impact on the ozone layer through the use of halocarbon refrigerants (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), HCFCs). Now most of these units are phased out but they were replaced by others using Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), which do not affect the ozone layer but have a greenhouse gas potential or sometime over 14,000 time that of Carbon Dioxide. Cooling devices are also using a lot of energy (estimated to 40% of Grenada’s energy bill by Grenlec). This, coupled with a world-wide increase in cooling product demand, has a tremendous impact on global warming.

In a drive to reduce global warming from human activities, the cooling sector developed cooling products (air-conditioning, fridges, freezers, etc.) that are more energy efficient and use “natural refrigerants” such as propane (R290) which has both low ozone depletion and greenhouse gas potential.

Kelly Cyrus, managing director of Grenz Concept said: “Currently we have a stock of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly air conditioning systems for sale in Grenada. Our units are 40% more energy efficient than the air conditioning systems using R22 as refrigerant. This means that by changing to the R290 systems, you can cut you energy usage almost by half. Our R290 systems running at an optimal temperature of 25 degrees Celsius only use an amperage of 2.9 amps.  This figure shows the efficiency of our systems. Based on your energy savings the payback time for a R290 12000 BTU system is approximately 14 months. Other features of the units is that they are very quiet and that the compressors are gold Nano quoted to prevent the rusting.”

Mrs. Henry, who benefited of the first installation by the company on Friday said: “I am extremely pleased with the unit. It is powerful and yet very quiet. The room cools down within a couple of minutes. I run it at 25° and it is an ideal temperature for my baby daughter’s bedroom. It also makes me feel good to think that I am not destroying the future world for my daughter by trying to keep her cool at night.”

Until recently, Natural Refrigerant air-conditioning system were not imported to Grenada due to the lack of regulations for installation and maintenance of these units. However, the National Ozone Unit with the support of the C4 global project paved the way to enable Grenada to import these units through implementing technician trainings, developing standards and the installation of 30 units under a pilot projects to test their efficiency.

Grenz Concept took advantage of this opportunity to position itself as a market leaders. Grenz Concept’s installation team has more than 20 years in the RAC sector in Grenada and are trained in the installation and the servicing of the R290 systems.

Source: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mikeylive.com%2F2019%2F04%2F30%2Fgrenz-concept-breaks-ground-with-next-generation-cooling-systems-in-grenada%2F&h=AT0uAkEt485nnDd_ZOGgqpneIsA8bBMZiOn42ZIsnAowi9MuZYcoTYN7DKUUHwaMZmtcEMmW3KgKOW4ztwdgTie77I_mziZu7wbAG7dsQuhTqz3MEWi2W7PVO1nvEQz0&s=1

New Documentary on the recovery of the Ozone Hole

http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/ozone-hole-how-we-saved-the-planet/

Natural Refrigerants – a feasible option for Grenada.

L-R: Leslie Smith, Nicholas Joseph, John Campbell

St. George’s, Grenada, April 02, 2019: The two refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) technicians, Mr. Nicholas Joseph and Mr. John Campbell, who recently participated  (March 25-29) in a study tour on natural refrigerants in Costa Rica, paid a visit to the National Ozone Unit (NOU) on their return. They met with the  National Ozone Officer (NOO), Mr Leslie Smith to report on their experiences as well as to provide recommendations for consideration for the local RAC sector.

Mr. Campbell, who is the Public Relations Officer of the Grenada Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Ventilating Association (GRAVA) and a senior technician at the St. George’s University (SGU), views the experience as “eye opening” and was particularly impressed with the design, layout and workmanship of the facilities visited. He was also impressed with the details and emphasis that were placed on safety and maintenance, since the refrigerants used at the sites have either high levels of flammability or toxicity. He reiterated, that the support from Government in establishing the necessary legislation and enabling environment is critical for the application of these technologies in Grenada. He sees hydrocarbons as a feasible option for Grenada in the unitary air-conditioning sub-sector.

Mr Joseph, who is also an executive member of GRAVA (Asst. Secretary) and a businessman in RAC equipment, viewed the experience as very educational and one that has broadened his knowledge on natural refrigerant technology. He encourages young and senior technicians to make an effort to participate in opportunities like these, whenever possible. When asked about the business potential for R-290 systems in Grenada, he response was ,” I see a great opportunity for R-290 (hydrocarbon) systems in Grenada, not only because of their environmental benefits, but mainly because of their energy efficiency and savings, in terms of dollars and sense”.

Both  participants expressed their gratitude to the NOU in facilitating their participation in the study tour and indicated their willingness to share their experiences with other technicians and to support the initiatives of the NOU in promoting natural refrigerant technology. The tour to Costa Rica was facilitated under the Sustainable Phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substance (SPODS) project. the SPODS project is co-financed by the European Commission and the Government of Germany, through the GIZ as the implementing agency.

Natural refrigerant technology (hydrocarbons, ammonia and carbon dioxide) is one of the RAC technologies that is promoted by the NOU, as a replacement for the ozone depleting and/or high global warming potential refrigerants currently used in Grenada. Natural refrigerants have zero ozone depleting potential (ODP) and a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 3, while at the same time delivering better energy efficiencies than other refrigerants.

 

 

Financial sector trained on financial modelling for sustainable energy projects

https://www.nowgrenada.com/2019/04/financial-sector-trained-on-financial-modelling-for-sustainable-energy-projects/