A total of 30 stakeholders within theย Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector (RAC) in Grenada have begun the review processย of a National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP).
The NCAP provides a concrete roadmap of short, medium- and long- term strategies for theย implementation of climate-smart and energy-efficient cooling systems along with a supportiveย regulatory framework.
It was developed with input from a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory of the Refrigeration andย Air Conditioning (RAC) Sector in Grenada, which was released earlier this year.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and Energy Dr. Kelvin George, Director of theย Department of Economic and Technical Cooperation (DETC), called on stakeholders withinย the RAC sector to take an in-depth examination of the NCAP and to provide the Nationalย Ozone Unit (NOU) with valuable inputs for the enhancement and successful implementationย of the Plan.
In his address to the participants he added, โI would also like to urge all the stakeholders toย collectively work together in implementing the actions and strategies outlined in this plan toย allow the country to meet it Montreal Protocol and UNFCCC goals and obligationsโ.
In 2015, it was observed that the RAC sector in Grenada contributed 29% of the total GHGย emissions. In reaffirming Governmentโs support, Dr. George highlighted, โThe need to addressย improvements in the energy efficiency of RAC equipment and the use of refrigerants with zeroย ozone depleting potential, as well as, very low global warming potential is of even greaterย significance now.โ
Deputy Head of GIZ Grenada, Ms. Marion Geiss in addressing representatives from the localย and regional RAC sector said, โWith that plan, we describe a pathway to mitigate greenhouseย gases through very specific activities in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectorโ.
One of the key messages given to stakeholders by Ms. Geiss was โGreen cooling can saveย Lives, as by saving our climate, we save our planet and preserve our livelihood.โ
National Ozone Officer within the National Ozone Unit (NOU) Mr. Leslie Smith, stated thatย Grenada is a front runner for the establishment of a national cooling action plan. He said โGrenadaโs Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) review process has already includedย the incorporation of F-Gasses and energy efficiency in the RAC sector as key potentialย mitigation areas towards achieving the countryโs NDC goals.โ
The National Ozone Officer also stated that efforts are already underway between the Nationalย Ozone Unit and the Grenada Bureau of Standards to establish minimum energy performanceย standards for RAC appliances and an energy efficiency building code. These standards areย expected to be in place by the end of 2021.
During the consultations, participants in working groups examined three (3) principal areas ofย the NCAP: (1) Building performance standards (2) Increase energy efficiency of unitary air-conditioning equipment and (3) Refrigerants and new technologies (shifting towards low GWPย refrigerants)
The virtual workshop organized by the NOU within the Energy Division of the Ministry ofย Finance, Economic Development, Physical Development, Public Utilities and Energy, wasย supported by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), as part of the global project โCoolย Contributions fighting Climate Changeโ (C4).
A validation workshop is planned for the month of December 2020 to further examine theย feedback from Thursdayโs event. The vision of the NOU is to have the NCAP integrated intoย Grenadaโs NDC for climate mitigation in 2021.
