The topic of sustainable refrigeration was one of the most hotly debated issues at the annual QualEnergia forum, held in Rome last November. The two-day event hosted professionals, leading cold sector companies, Italian and European NGOs and several representatives of political groups involved in promoting a decarbonised economy.
In light of the fact that propane (R290) heat pumps have already displayed significant performance efficiency as well as remarkable environmentally friendly features, Germany has recently launched a project designed to offer citizens customised solutions in order to substitute traditional heating systems (such as gas or oil) in blocks of flats with this new equipment.
During a recent session of the European Parliament, a proposal was made to introduce a total ban on HFC and HFO refrigerants. The request was put forward by the Vice-Chair of the EU Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Bas Eickhout.
Recent research designed to forecast the progression of the refrigerants market, has shown that that market is expected to reach a value of 8.4 billion dollars with a CAGR of 6.2% by the year 2027.
A recent UN report has highlighted progress made on the NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) Plans set out by the countries who signed the Paris Agreements are not sufficient to meet targets agreed at European level.
Created as part of the 2007 budget legislation, the Kyoto Fund provides subsidies for those who need to carry out work on specific types of public buildings in order to make them more energy efficient.
The correct installation and maintenance of insulation panels in cold storage chambers ensures that the equipment is fully operational. In order to help professionals in that sector follow proper procedures, a technical guidance note was recently published, designed to prevent any problems or malfunctions.
The CoolLIFE Project was set up on November 8th last year and is a promising initiative included in the European LIFE CET (Clean Energy Transition) programme, the primary objective of which is to meet increased demand for modernisation work related to cooling buildings more effectively.
The results achieved at the COP27 conference which concluded a couple of months ago in Sharm-el-Sheikh, failed to match expectations.
The risks posed by AI have been the subject of much debate and even more so now that systems using that technology are becoming increasingly widespread. Considering that almost every industrial and non-industrial sector uses some form of artificial intelligence to manage its processes, improve productivity or calculate forecasts, the associated risks seem to be growing.
The trend of using so-called smart objects in the home continues to grow and the reasons behind this success can largely be attributed to the desire of families to combat high energy costs, especially increases in prices of gas and electricity, by exploiting the ‘intelligent potential’ they offer.
The smart home has grown from a simple trend among technology enthusiasts to an increasingly popular strategy. This phenomenon has been made possible mainly by the increasing market availability of IoT devices which, thanks to their ease of installation and ability to meet a wide range of requirements, are revolutionising our concept of the home.