S R C C Alternatives to H F s in the efrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector ection 01 9 negligible or zero GWP are ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. These are often called “natural refrigerants”. Only hydrocarbons have similar technical characteristics to HFCs that could allow them to be used without major technology changes. Hydrocarbons are flammable and safety precautions need to be considered during design, manufacturing, installation, service and decommissioning. For larger systems ammonia is well established on many markets but several Article 5 countries lack qualified technicians. Most countries need to increase the focus on training for all technologies and good practice to facilitate the use of the best alternatives for different applications. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. All the HCFC alternative technologies require Article 5 countries to upgrade the capacity of the servicing sector. In spite of the activities conducted during the phase out of CFCs, most of the Article 5 countries have a workforce that, to a large extent, still do not work according to internationally accepted good refrigeration and air conditioning paractises. The shortcomings in training, tools and enforcement of good practises cost industry and consumers large amounts of money in increased failure rates and unnecessary high energy consumption. The strong focus on initial cost often results in poorly optimised systems and little interest to train staff. The industrialised countries have in most cases introduced certification schemes and restrictions on who can do certain activities related to ODS as well as HFCs. The alternatives all require special competencies to be used in an environmentally acceptable and safe way. A significant upgrade of the competence level has taken place during the last 10 years in many non-Article 5 countries, where the use of virgin HCFCs have mostly been eliminated or totally phased out. Due to the challenges in upgrading the industry which mainly consists of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) most Article 5 countries are only beginning this process. In order to phase out HCFCs and improve reliability as well as energy efficiency, it is important for the industry to upgrade its competence in all alternative technologies as there is no single technology to date that can provide the ideal solution for all applications. To justify investment in tools and training in alternative technologies, it is important to create an environment where it is good business to do good practise. Providing clear regulatory frameworks and information to equipment owners is important to make necessary investments attractive for the industry. If purchasing environmentally hazardous refrigerants and working in the industry with little training and tools persist, the change will be very slow as there are many equipment owners with limited awareness and competence. Moreover, the high energy consumption and unnecessary short lifespan of equipment are factors that are often unknown to many.