To support the phasedown of HFCs in Vietnam, the Green Cooling Initiative (GCI) III project recently hosted a series of training courses, equipping 60 students with hands-on experience in the safe handling of natural refrigerants, with a focus on propane (R290)-based refrigeration applications.
With the global transition away from f-gases, there has been a notable increase in demand for technicians proficient in green cooling technologies. This demand is expected to grow as the world continues to move towards more sustainable practices.
“As the planet continues to warm, refrigeration equipment plays a crucial role across various sectors,” said Nguyen Dang Thu Cuc, National Ozone Office Coordinator at Vietnam’s Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE). “Consequently, safety has become more critical than ever.”
“Governmental agencies such as MONRE anticipate close and intensive collaboration with our international partners and vocational colleges to offer more training courses in the near future,” she added. “This will undoubtedly contribute to meeting the demands of the future market.”
“As the planet continues to warm, refrigeration equipment plays a crucial role across various sectors. Consequently, safety has become more critical than ever.”
Nguyen Dang Thu Cuc, MONRE
Following Vietnam’s ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in September 2019, the country’s HFC phasedown officially began in January 2024. In ratifying the amendment, Vietnam has agreed to freeze its production and consumption of HFCs from 2024 and eventually achieve a 80% reduction by 2045, compared to 2020–2022 levels.
The GCI III project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) under the International Climate Initiative (IKI), has worked on multiple interventions to support Vietnam’s transition to sustainable cooling. Efforts to date have included policy advice, technology transfer and capacity building. This latest training program was part of its capacity-building activities.
Developing practical skills
The program consisted of four courses, which took place from October 2023 to March 2024 at the Hanoi College of Electronics and Electro-refrigeratory Technics (HCEET) and the Hanoi Industrial Vocational College.
Course participants came from various backgrounds, including vocational trainers and local HVAC&R technicians.
Each course featured skill-based sessions covering tool proficiency, pipeline operation, substance recovery and weldless pipe connection techniques. A knowledge-sharing session on international and national management policies on phasing out ODS was also included. The practical training was designed to enhance trainees’ expertise in green cooling technologies with a focus on developing their technical and tactical skills, explained the GCI III project.
Participants provided positive feedback and recommended organizers expand their offerings around the country.
To enhance diversity within the sector, which has traditionally been male-dominated, organizers are looking to tailor their vocational training to encourage and accommodate the participation of women. This could include the use of female trainers, something that was widely valued in the March 2024 Training of Trainers course.
“Moving forward, the GCI III project aims to actively promote gender mainstreaming across all its interventions and activities,” the organizers said.
Transcritical CO2 training
The GCI III project also recently co-funded an advanced transcritical CO2 (R744) training program for eight refrigeration technicians and policymakers from Bangladesh, Colombia, Kenya, the Philippines and Vietnam.
The week-long course was organized by Europe-based refrigeration manufacturer Carrier and German government agency GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit). It was hosted at Carrier’s CO2OLacademy in Wiesbaden, Germany, where participants could work with a fully operational R744 refrigeration system simulating a supermarket environment.
In preparation for their hands-on experience in Germany, participants received 12 hours of online training. Once at the CO2OLacademy, trainees took part in various practical sessions, including working with a CO₂ training rack. According to organizers, the rack is slated to be shipped to a training facility in Kenya.
In October 2023, Carrier and GIZ announced that they would be establishing the “first-ever” East African transcritical CO₂ supermarket training center.
Previously, the GCI has organized or funded several educational initiatives for stakeholders from around the world, including Grenada, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste. It also facilitated a study tour to China to promote the adoption of energy-efficient R290-based air-conditioning through international exchange and knowledge sharing.
In addition to technician training programs, the GCI also offers a free online Cool Training course that is open to everyone. Previously available in English, French and Spanish, it is now also offered in Arabic and Portuguese.
