A MAJOR European conference on renewable energy has repeated calls for more engineers to be trained in the use of CO₂ in refrigeration systems.
Marco Buoni, vice president of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration European Association (AREA), speaking at the 14th European Conference on Renewable Energy and Heating in Milan last month called for more training of technicians and other staff handling natural refrigerants, not just HFCs.

'The UK is trying to roll out a rapid changeover from HFC to CO₂ use because of political pressure, but the industry simply doesn't have enough competent, fully trained field engineers to install, service and maintain them,' he said.

He maintained that AREA members were uniquely placed to give expert, but unbiased advice about the use of various refrigerants, but added: 'We know that CO₂ and other natural refrigerants are good for northern climates and supermarkets but they are not much use in Italy, Portugal or Spain.'

Nearly 200 delegates from over 23 countries across Europe, the USA, South Korea, India and Japan heard leading authorities in refrigeration and air conditioning stress the need to strengthen and enforce existing F-gas regulations. Meeting environmental targets for green house gas emissions, they were told, would also require end users to be educated and involved in taking responsibility for their refrigeration units.