Tools for technicians - report on leaks, emissions and maintenance guidance

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has released a new report by the Expert Group highlighting significant potential to reduce the electricity consumption and leaks of refrigerant from large stocks of refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment through frequent maintenance.

The report points to minimising unnecessary faults and energy wastage in equipment through:

1. Good installation/commissioning practices;
2. Good maintenance practices; and,
3. Equipment monitoring and metering for fault detection including leak detection, energy meters, airflow sensors to initiate early alarm, and/or field diagnosis, and/or repair procedures.

The report states, "In Australia, losses of refrigerant from operating RAC equipment was responsible for approximately 1.2% of national emissions in 2019. However, in that year RAC equipment was estimated to consume more than 24% of all electricity generated in the economy, resulting in a combined total of direct and indirect emissions of 61.28 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) or approximately 11.5% of national emissions."

"The maintenance activities that deliver both improvements in energy efficiency and reductions in loss of refrigerant charge require skilled technicians with the appropriate licensing, knowledge and understanding that is common and accepted practice in the RAC community."

Click here to access the report.