World News

SINGAPORE: A-Gas has recently recovered around 337kg of R407C refrigerant from the air conditioning and ventilation systems of decommissioned trains in Singapore.

UKRAINE: Authorities in Ukraine have seized a large shipment of refrigerant being brought into the country and mis-declared as humanitarian aid to evade customs duties.

JAPAN/UK: Members of the Greater Manchester Japan Steering Group, including UK government and Manchester City Council delegates, have visited the Daikin Technology Innovation Centre in Osaka to solidify decarbonisation plans.

BELGIUM: Customs authorities have reported an increase in illegal refrigerant seizures as it clamps down on shipments which contravene Montreal Protocol and European F-gas regulations.

UAE: Sixty-three countries are reported to have signed up to the Global Cooling Pledge which was launched today at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

KENYA: A new report presented at COP28 calls for a faster global phase down of HFCs, higher energy efficiency standards and passive cooling strategies to reduce emissions.

GERMANY: Fans and motors manufacturer EBM‑Papst has successfully pursued and broken up a Chinese company that was selling counterfeit and refurbished versions of its products.

GERMANY: Past differences have finally been forgotten with news that the German contractors association VDKF has joined the advisory board of the Chillventa exhibition.

AUSTRALIA: Dr Greg Picker has been elected chair of the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Board at the Australian Refrigeration Council’s AGM yesterday.

BELGIUM: An estimated 68,500 stores, or nearly 25% of all European food stores, are now using CO2 refrigeration technology, according to a new report.

INDIA: Daikin has now officially opened its new 300,000m2 air conditioner factory in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, southern India.

BELGIUM: Daikin Europe is launching a Europe-wide support programme for its Altherma heat pump installers.

DUBAI: Refrigeration and air conditioning will come under the global spotlight when world leaders at COP28 will be urged to sign a pact to broaden access to sustainable cooling.

ITALY: The forthcoming MCE Mostra Convegno Expocomfort exhibition in Milan is already 90% booked, according to the organiser.

UAE: A coalition led by Dubai-based multinational logistics company DP World is calling for frozen food temperatures to be set at -15°C as standard to cut carbon emissions.

USA: An ice cream manufacturer has agreed to pay a penalty of $115,849 to settle claims that it violated federal laws regulating the handling and storage of ammonia.

GERMANY: Vaillant has won the German Sustainability Award as a “pioneer of transformation” in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology sector. 

SPAIN: Valencia-based CO2 retail refrigeration systems company Tewis Smart Systems has signed a joint “natural” refrigerant systems research contract with Valencia’s Jaume I University. 

An Oilon S series heat pump ready for delivery FINLAND:  Heat pumps using R1234ze refrigerant are to be deployed in what is claimed will be…

USA: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of $15m in grants for projects that tackle the reclamation or destruction of HFC refrigerants.

USA: Mitsubishi Electric US is to receive $50m in funding from the US Department of Energy to establish a heat pump compressor factory in Kentucky.

SWEDEN/DENMARK: Nordic Climate Group has increased its position in Denmark with the acquisition of Ørbæk Køleteknik in Hvidovre, Copenhagen. 

GERMANY: Compressor manufacturer Bitzer has acquired the Czech organic Rankine cycle specialist BPower. 

USA: Foodservice and HVAC parts supplier Parts Town plans to open a new, 420,000ft2 distribution centre in Glendale, Arizona.

BELGIUM: Thomas Nowak is to step down as secretary general of the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA). 

USA/UK: Ken Logan of refrigerant lifecycle management company A-Gas has been named along with such people as Stella McCartney, Coldplay and Bill Gates in Time magazine’s inaugural Time100 Climate List.

JAPAN: Daikin claims to have produced the world's first laser-based technology for the remote detection of R32 refrigerant leaks.