SightGlass

Britain’s biggest supermarket chain has adopted cutting-edge transport refrigeration technology with the addition of two trucks to the Tesco fleet equipped with propylene (R1270) and CO2 (R744) refrigeration units from German  manufacturer EcoolTec Tesco becomes the first in the UK to embrace EcoolTec’s all-electric TM182 units, which stand out in the heavy commercial transportation sector … Continue reading EcoolTec reefer with dual-circuit system uses both R1270 HC and R744 CO2 refrigerants

Changes to the RRA board of directors

Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) recently underwent a significant leadership transition, with John McCormack stepping down as chair and Kevin O’Shea resigning from the position of secretary and treasurer. Their combined efforts have significantly advanced RRA’s goal of reducing emissions in the HVAC sector and promoting environmental stewardship within the refrigerant industry.  Continue reading Changes to the RRA board of directors

The latest report from the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), titled Charging Ahead: Electric Vehicles & Insurance, emphasises a crucial ten-year period for the insurance industry to support the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The report delves into key issues, including battery fires, safety regulations, and challenges faced by insurers in covering EVs. It also … Continue reading Insuring EV risks

The surge in global demand for batteries, fuelled by the rapid electrification of vehicles and the demands to store renewable energy, has brought attention to the environmental drawbacks of lithium extraction methods.  For instance, the evaporation ponds in Chile, where lithium-rich brine is concentrated, use 682 times more water than sodium extraction methods, leading to … Continue reading Life after lithium: Future battery technologies

Audi Q6 e-tron

The Audi Q6 e-tron is the brand’s first electric vehicle built on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), a collaborative effort with Porsche for the Macan.  It features various trailblazing advancements, including redesigned prismatic battery cells, a predictive thermal management system, and E³ 1.2 electronic architecture. Continue reading Audi Q6 e-tron debuts ‘predictive’ thermal management

A column by VASA President Brett Meads You could be forgiven for thinking the following is a crude attempt at satire, perhaps even sarcasm – or maybe a bad dream – however, you would be wrong. This is a bizarre set of circumstances, with long-term negative environmental consequences, thanks to a sad omission by those … Continue reading Lack of restriction on high-GWP mobile air-conditioning refrigerants in Australia: A missed opportunity

Cool-Safe ups refrigerant bounty to $40/kg New Zealand refrigerant stewardship operator Cool-Safe has announced a significant increase in its Bounty Buy-Back payments for recovered synthetic refrigerants, from $NZ25.00/kg to $NZ40.00/kg. Cool-Safe last increased this bounty from $NZ15/kg to $NZ25/kg in October 2022. Funding is derived from ‘New Zealand Units’ obtained by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, … Continue reading Cool-Safe ups refrigerant bounty to $40/kg

The Business with VASA Treasurer Ian Stangroome Over the past few years, getting staff in any sector of employment has become increasingly difficult. The skills shortage in the automotive repair sector has fared no better with little to no improvement in recent times. Workshops have great difficulty finding staff to fill vacancies in their businesses. … Continue reading Multiskilled Technicians and their role in addressing the labour shortage

With Australian Refrigeration Council CEO Glenn Evans As a member of VASA, you no doubt know about the ARCtick licensing scheme for Australia’s climate control industry – you most likely hold an ARCtick refrigerant handling licence (RHL) or refrigerant trading authorisation (RTA). The automotive sector has more than 32,000 RHLs and well over 10,000 RTAs … Continue reading Inside ARC: A look at licensing and environmental Initiatives

View from NZ with VASA New Zealand Director Catherine Tocker A robust refrigerant stewardship scheme for New Zealand, backed by government regulations and aided by the establishment of a domestic end-of-life refrigerant destruction facility is edging closer to reality – but addressing the skilled labour shortage remains a key ingredient to meeting environmental goals. Uncertainty … Continue reading NZ edges closer to robust, regulated refrigerant stewardship scheme