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Queensland’s automotive service and repair sector breathed a sigh of relief as the state government stepped back from a controversial proposal that only licensed electricians should perform work on electric vehicles. The proposal, initially tabled in 2023 as part of the Electrical Safety Act review, was put forward by the Queensland Electrical Safety Office but … Continue reading Queensland government rejects proposal to include EVs in sparkie licence

ARCtick fees 2024

Fees for ARCtick licence applications have been frozen for 2024 as part of a Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) initiative to ensure licences are financially accessible at a time when many are facing cost-of-living pressures. Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) CEO Glenn Evans said the freeze on application fees reflected a … Continue reading ARCtick licence fees frozen for 2024

Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made significant progress in the development of a one-megawatt electrical motor that could pave the way for the electrification of larger aircraft. The current focus on electrifying aviation aims to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, and while smaller all-electric planes have been successful, larger jets require … Continue reading Megawatt motor brings electric planes closer to reality

Chemicals firm BASF has established a state-of-the-art facility for battery material production and recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany with both production and recycling at the same location. Minimising transportation of materials between the two facilities reduces costs and environmental impact while improving operational and logistical efficiency. Co-location of both production and recycling epitomises the concept of … Continue reading Battery material production logically placed on same site as recycling facility

Toyota has partnered with the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to create a cutting-edge electric storage system that utilises recycled electric vehicle batteries. Energy stored in these batteries will come from renewable sources and be used during times when wind-generated power isn’t enough to meet grid requirements. The new electric storage system will have an … Continue reading Toyota repurposing used EV batteries into grid-scale renewable energy storage

The Australian Refrigeration Council board has elected Greg Picker to the position of chair as Michael Bennett AM’s term as director and chair ended, concluding his long and illustrious career in the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry. Kylie Farrelley was elected to the director seat vacated by Michael Bennett and Richard Livingston was re-elected to the … Continue reading Picker named ARC chair, Bennett retires

PFAS warning sign

Proposals for a PFAS ban that conflicts with the finalisation of European Union F-Gas regulations have raised significant concerns among various stakeholders. Current drafts of these regulations pose a threat to global air-conditioning and refrigeration market as it works to integrate new-generation refrigerants and technologies aimed at combating climate change. The proposed PFAS ban: Known … Continue reading Europe makes progress on conflicting PFAS ban and F-Gas phase-out regulations

EV battery

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has adopted requirements that bring electric vehicle diagnostic standardisation into line with internal combustion engine models, potentially setting a benchmark for the global automotive industry. Because mandatory requirements for standardised diagnostic outputs were originally linked to tailpipe emissions control regulations they were never mandated for ZEVs. Starting from the … Continue reading California mandates standard diagnostic system for electric vehicles from MY26

British Off Road, which apart from being one of Australia’s most respected Land Rover specialists is moving into electric vehicle conversions, has taken out the Innovation Award art this year’s MTAQ Industry Awards Gala. In a celebratory social media post the VASA member said: “We are very proud to have won the 2023 Motor Trades … Continue reading VASA member British Off Road wins MTAQ Innovation Award

Koura is preparing to introduce its R444A refrigerant as a long-awaited replacement for R1234yf in the United States automotive aftermarket. Initially developed over a decade ago as an alternative to R134a in vehicle air-conditioning systems, R444A will now be offered as a compatible and more affordable alternative to R1234yf. Like YF, R444A caries an A2L … Continue reading New R1234yf alternative to launch in US