In partnership with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), The Ministry of Planning and Development of Trinidad and Tobago, The Environmental Planning and Policy Division, and the United Nations Development Programme, Energy Efficiency through the development of low-carbon RAC technologies in Trinidad and Tobago was initiated to contribute to the mitigation of climate change and the reduction of high GWP equipment and processes in the RAC sector.
The project’s vision is to create a sustained market change towards the adoption of low-carbon RAC technologies in Trinidad and Tobago, which will deliver multiple benefits at local, regional, and global levels through the integration of energy-efficient technologies that would reduce the use of high GWP and ODS refrigerants. To this end, the project is hosting an Investment Analysis and Financial Training Seminar to boost awareness of sustainable cooling technology, District Cooling for the financial sector and project developers.
The rising global demand for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC equipment) is very worrisome globally as the RAC equipment penetration is growing 8-10% annually in developing countries. Trinidad and Tobago is following this international trend due to its location in the Tropical belt with an average temperature of 26.5 degrees Celsius and humidity levels above 80% year-round. RAC equipment tends to utilize high-global warming potential (GWP) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) refrigerants in air-conditioning units and cooling systems which are likely to generate more carbon dioxide emissions when compared to existing commercial, low GWP alternatives worldwide. Trinidad and Tobago presented plans for reducing national GHG emissions through the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in Paris (Aug. 2015). The country´s aim is to achieve a reduction objective in overall emissions of 15% by 2030.
