Natural refrigerants receive support from UN - Exclusive Interview with Mr Sidi Menad Si Ahmed

In an exclusive interview with ammonia21.com, Sidi Menad Si Ahmed, Director of the Montreal Protocol Branch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), shared his views on promoting natural solutions in developing countries. Mr Si Ahmed reveals that about 90% of UNIDO’s 92 projects in the refrigeration sector in developing countries already use natural refrigerants.+VIDEO

UNIDO, an implementing agency of the Multilateral Fund (MLF), always aims to provide the best technology solutions to developing countries. Mr Si Ahmed explained that the agency sees promoting global acceptance of natural substances in the refrigeration and foam sectors as one of its key missions to ensure environmental protection.

90% of UNIDO’s 92 projects in the refrigeration sector in developing countries adopt natural refrigerants

As early as in the 1990s UNIDO started to promote the introduction of new refrigerator manufacturing technologies using hydrocarbons refrigerants and foaming agents in Article 5 countries. By 2010, the majority of the refrigeration and foam projects implemented by UNIDO involved the use of natural substances. Mr Si Ahmed told ammonia21.com that up to now about 90% of UNIDO’s 92 ongoing projects in developing countries have involved natural refrigerants.

Many applications could use natural refrigerants in developing countries

Mr Si Ahmed said: “Although not all the sectors are going to natural refrigerants, it is still a big portion that are.” According to delegate presentations at the UNIDO ATMOsphere Technology Summit, almost all sectors in developing countries have the potential to switch to natural refrigerants.

In the foam sector, natural substances were introduced in developing countries a long time ago. Natural refrigerants are also being gradually introduced to the industrial, domestic and commercial refrigeration sectors of developing countries. However, Mr Si Ahmed stressed that there are still a lot of barriers for the adoption of natural refrigerants in terms of information, training, safety and policies in developing countries.

“We can phase out HCFCs”

When talking about the aims of the UNIDO ATMOsphere Technology Summit, Mr Si Ahmed said he hopes that the progress achieved in the use of natural refrigerant solutions could help to strengthen political will to phase out HCFCs globally.

I do hope there are more practical examples that can make people see the future and the selection of alternative technologies. Yes, we can do it not just on the natural refrigerant side, but also on the phase out of HCFCs globally. We can leap off HCFCs and switch to Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternatives,” said Mr Si Ahmed.