Three years ago, the European Commission announced that it would co-finance a project aimed at developing European-wide training on alternative low-GPW refrigerants as part of its LIFE climate action program.

The funded project is Real Alternatives 4 LIFE, which has incorporated the principles of the mixed learning program (brochures, e-learning and practical teaching), and organized a training program for training events and study days across Europe. All this supported by a high profile awareness campaign to encourage the recognition of this training by employers, wholesalers, producers, end users and policy makers, increasing confidence in the application of these new refrigerants. Finally, the project offered certification for technicians who completed REAL Alternatives tests, providing a constant and high standard for training across Europe. All this in multiple languages.

Three years have passed since the start of the project and the partners take stock of the work done. 1600 working days among the eight organizations that have resulted in:

• 9 free learning modules available online - with 5000 individual registered students;
• 7 training events and 4 study days for teachers with 200 certified trainers;
• 23 national organizations able to accredit trainers and their courses have so far led to the issue of 500 certificates to technicians.

The project's communications reached several hundred thousand people globally through a coordinated awareness campaign on online interviews and at international meetings, exhibitions and conferences, regular web articles, press releases, social media and newsletters. Each of the national organizations held regular meetings with national and international policy makers, including various presentations at the COP global summits, the International Refrigeration Congress and ASHRAE meetings. 

As demand for refrigeration and air conditioning continues to grow all over the world, there is a clear need to switch to lower GWP refrigerants for environmental reasons. At the same time, higher GWP gases are already becoming less available due to the gradual reduction in the supply of sin internationally. Consequently, the market must adapt quickly to the use of low GWP refrigerants. But this is not always simple: carbon dioxide operates at higher pressures; hydrocarbons, R32 and HFO have varying degrees of flammability and ammonia is toxic. A major re-qualification exercise is necessary for installers and cold technicians. Real Alternatives has taken on the challenge of developing training materials that will teach technicians how to use alternative refrigerants safely, efficiently and reliably. These training resources have been translated and are now available in 17 languages ​​to make them accessible throughout most of the EU and, in the future, globally. 

Real Alternatives also operates a network of authorized training providers and National Leads around the world to monitor training and certification standards. At the beginning of this year, the project conducted a market investigation to see how attitudes towards the use of low GWP refrigerants have changed over the past 3 years. The research supports the need for free accessible resources developed by the project and a growing demand for these refrigerants in the future. It has been shown that the transition to low GWP refrigerant technologies is taking place rapidly. The main driver of this change is of course the legislative action of policy makers, but there is a growing awareness that climate-friendly alternatives exist and that businesses are under greater social pressure that pushes them to clearly face the issue of the impact of their climate change activities. RACHP expects continued growth in demand for low GWP alternatives for at least the next 3-5 years and that these types of refrigerants will become the main solutions of the future. Employers seem to be more aware of the need for practical and good quality training in this area to address their safety, reliability and efficiency concerns. Until February 2020, when physical training ceased in much of Europe, there was a trend towards increasing the ability of trainers to give practical courses and obtain certification since Real Alternatives practical training became available in June 2019.

As the number of authorized Training Providers offering practical training in our 23 countries of the national leading countries increases, the number of Certified Technicians who have attended this training is expected to increase rapidly in the coming years. The Real Alternatives team expects the global impact of this training material to extend rapidly both within and outside Europe in the coming years and there are currently negotiations with a wide range of developing and developed countries. to adapt the material to their use and to organize training sessions for their technical teachers. This project confirmed that the EU and the UK are at the forefront of the fight against climate change for the RACHP sector. 

More info at www.realalternatives4life.eu