The workshop was attended by about 100 delegates, representing the leaders of the General Department of Vocational Education (Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs), the Vietnam Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Science and Technology, the Institute of Heat and Refrigeration Science and Technology, the School of Mechanics under Hanoi University of Science and Technology, local electronics and refrigeration associations/branches; source lecturers from colleges and intermediate vocational schools teaching refrigeration; and businesses operating in the field of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
The activity is within the framework of the Vietnam HCFC Phase-II Management Plan (HPMP II) Project, implemented by the Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The goal is to eliminate ozone-depleting substances (HCFC-22, HCFC-141b premixed in polyol) in the fields of air-conditioning, refrigeration, foam production and repair and maintenance services for refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment according to the roadmap for implementing the Montreal Protocol.
According to data from the regulatory agency, the refrigeration and air conditioning equipment maintenance and repair service sector is currently accounting for an increasing proportion of consumption of controlled substances, accounting for nearly 70% of the consumption in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector in Vietnam. One of the main reasons is the shortage of high-quality human resources, poor practices in installation, operation and maintenance of equipment leading to large leakages. Therefore, training activities are one of the focuses of the HPMP II Project.
From 2018 to present, the HPMP II Project Management Board has coordinated with the Vietnam Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Science and Technology, the Institute of Heat and Refrigeration Science and Technology (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) and local Electronics and Refrigeration Associations and branches to successfully organize 40 training courses for technicians working at refrigeration equipment maintenance and repair service facilities in 19 provinces and cities across the country. At the same time, through the network of source lecturers at colleges and vocational schools, the Project Management Board has coordinated to organize 55 training courses for technicians in 12 provinces and cities.
According to Ms. Mai Kim Lien, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change, some key results have exceeded the set targets. Specifically, nationwide, the project has trained nearly 200 source lecturers on Good Practice Principles in Installation, Maintenance and Repair of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment; 3,018 technicians on Good Practice Principles in Installation, Maintenance and Repair of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment.
In addition, the project also trained more than 200 technicians from the warranty stations of Hoa Phat Refrigeration Company Limited and Nagakawa Group Joint Stock Company on Good Practice Principles in Installation, Maintenance and Repair of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment; and provided additional training to 194 technicians of Daikin Company on refrigerant recovery.
Through the training courses, technicians are equipped with basic skills to work with new generation refrigerants, raising awareness of the technician's responsibility in protecting the ozone layer, limiting emissions of regulated substances into the environment during the installation, repair and maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. In particular, lecturers shared information and practical experience to prevent some safety risks in the installation, repair and maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment such as oxygen compression testing, the risk of diesel explosion in refrigeration compressors and using refrigeration compressors as air compressors.
According to Dr. Ta Quang Ngoc - Chairman of the Vietnam Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Science and Technology Association, during the implementation of the HPMP II project, the Faculty of Thermal Energy, School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology has developed the most suitable training program, selected and mobilized appropriate and available technical means to open short-term training courses in many localities. The practical demand is very large, demonstrated through the response of maintenance, installation, repair facilities and trainees.
The effectiveness of training helps improve cooling efficiency, at the same time, contributing to reducing emissions of refrigerants that cause ozone layer depletion in Vietnam, contributing to Vietnam's international commitments on the roadmap to eliminate these refrigerants and achieve zero net emissions by 2050 - Dr. Ta Quang Ngoc emphasized.
Regarding policy regulations, according to Ms. Nguyen Dang Thu Cuc, Deputy Head of the Department of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Ozone Layer Protection, Article 28 of Decree 06/2022/ND-CP stipulates that owners of equipment containing controlled substances are required to collect these substances from January 1, 2024. The Decree encourages recycling and reuse after collection; in cases where recycling and reuse are not possible, destruction must be carried out.
For technicians, from January 1, 2024, technicians who install, operate, maintain, or repair equipment containing controlled substances must have appropriate diplomas or certificates. If they do not have them, they must participate in and complete a training course on the collection and treatment of controlled substances hosted by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is seeking opinions from all parties on the Technical Regulation on collection, transportation, storage, recycling, reuse and treatment of controlled substances, expected to be issued in October 2023.
In the period of 2024 - 2030, the Department of Climate Change will coordinate with the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Program to deploy the Vietnam HCFC phase-out management plan, phase III; Vietnam HFC phase-out management plan, phase I. One of the key activities is to coordinate with vocational education management agencies; associations, institutes/schools to disseminate regulations and policies, train technical staff... in this field.
Deputy Director Mai Kim Lien commented that the rapid increase in the consumption of substances poses many challenges in meeting the country's compliance obligations. From 2024, the consumption of HFC substances will not increase compared to the average of 3 years 2020, 2021 and 2022; from 2025, the consumption of HCFC substances will be reduced by half compared to the present. Therefore, it is necessary to continue to promote activities to disseminate legal policies, raise awareness and enhance training and improve skills for teachers and technicians to limit leakage and loss into the environment, ensuring safety during use.
At the workshop, delegates discussed and shared experiences in implementing training activities under the HPMP II Project, along with training needs in the field of maintenance and repair services for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in the coming time.
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