The newly formed Committee on HCFCs replacement technologies of the Chinese industrial and commercial refrigeration industry will research and recommend technologies, provide technical supply for the HCFCs phase-out strategy as well as recommend pilot HCFC replacement projects.

In its latest issue, the Japan Air Coniditioning, Heating and Refrigeration News (JARN) report that a new Committee on HCFCs replacement technologies of the Chinese industrial and commercial refrigeration industry has been formed in the country. The foundation of the Committee was announced in May at a conference held in Beijing by the Foreign Economic Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China.

The role of the committee

The committee will:

• Research, assess and recommend technologies to replace HCFCs in China’s industrial and commercial refrigeration industry
• Provide technical supply for the regulation and implementation of the HCFCs phase-out strategy in the industry
• Recommend sample HCFC replacement projects to the Ministry of Environmental Protection

Agreed strategies

The discussions during the conference held in Beijing by the Foreign Economic Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China lead to the following decisions/recommendations:

• Committing to in-depth studies and an assessment on the refrigerant replacement for water and heat pump chillers, refrigeration and industrial refrigeration and air handling units
• Suggested the creation of strategies and standards for selecting HCFC replacement technologies, to establish assessing index and system for HCFC replacement technologies suitable for China’s present situation with factors such as environmental protection, product performance, product safety, and cost
• Strengthening communication and exchange with relevant international organisations and institutions in order to actively seek participation in the regulation of international standards

The committee members

The members of the committee include individuals from trade associations, research institutions, professors from universities, experts from manufacturers, and representatives and experts from the office of the United Nations Development Program in Beijing.

Zhang Zhaohui, secretary general of China Refrigeration and Air- Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA), was elected as the general director, Professor Xie Guozhen from Beijing Construction Engineering College was elected as the secretary general, while Zhou Xiaofang, deputy director of the third office of the Foreign Economic Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, was elected as the convener of the committee.