Closing Conference of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle Project — Summary
The Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project, implemented by the PROZON Climate Protection Foundation, EKOTEZ and CHEMAT, is drawing to a close.
To mark the occasion, an international closing conference was held in Warsaw on 19 June 2024, bringing to a conclusion many months of challenging and demanding work on the project.
During the event, presentations were delivered by Professors Janusz Kozakiewicz and Krzysztof Bieńczak, who highlighted the innovative nature of the installation and the importance of refrigerant blend separation in the context of Regulation 2024/573.
The assembled guests — professors, experts, representatives of research and scientific institutions, public administration bodies, industry organisations and industry, media, long-standing partners and friends of the Foundation, students of technical universities and schools, and online participants — were welcomed by the founders of the PROZON Climate Protection Foundation, Krzysztof Grzegorczyk and Marek Wawryniuk, who introduced the organisation’s history and mission and underlined the significance of refrigerant projects for environmental protection.
PROZON staff members, partners CHEMAT and EKOTEZ, construction workers and all those involved in the implementation of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project were then invited onto the stage and warmly thanked for their efforts in bringing the concept of this technology to life. It was a moment of reflection and nostalgia, as when the project was launched in 2019, no one could have anticipated the scale of the technological challenge it would present, and the many long months of work ahead required considerable dedication.
Following the ceremonial opening, Professor Janusz Kozakiewicz took the floor and highlighted the particular significance of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project in relation to EU Regulation 2024/573. In his presentation, the Professor outlined the service prohibitions set out in the Regulation, from which it follows that the use of reclaimed F-gas refrigerants for the servicing and maintenance of air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump equipment is becoming a necessity in the face of the gradual yet restrictive phase-out of virgin synthetic refrigerants from the market.
The significance of refrigerant blend separation for science and industry was discussed by Professor Krzysztof Bieńczak, who emphasised the benefits of advanced separation technologies from both a business and an environmental perspective. The expert also highlighted the potential for further developments that could serve as a field of research for specialists and scientists alike.
A summary of the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project — concerning the demonstration installation for refrigerant blend separation — was delivered by project manager Martyna Jankiewicz, who outlined the project’s main objectives. The first objective was achieved: HFC emissions were reduced by 74,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, derived solely from separation at the installation. A further objective was the construction of an installation comprising several-metre-tall rectification columns integrated with a PSA module. The installation was commissioned and optimised in collaboration with CHEMAT.
The speaker also highlighted the project’s significance in terms of international cooperation, as PROZON established new partnerships with as many as 13 EU member states, creating the opportunity to collect ever-larger quantities of refrigerants for reclamation. The domestic network of partnerships is also growing. Meanwhile, through industry meetings, conferences, and non-industry events such as picnics, open days and community initiatives, the project succeeded in reaching the general public and raising awareness of the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment.
A particularly engaging part of the conference was the screening of two films — the first depicting the stages of implementing the demonstration installation, from the laying of foundations through to commissioning, and the second providing a detailed account of the reclamation, separation and adsorption technologies involved.
The subsequent stages of the installation’s implementation were presented by chief technologist Dr Marzena Czapnik. The speaker outlined the individual steps taken by the CHEMAT team as part of the project, from the verification of process diagrams and construction drawings, through design adaptation and equipment procurement, to the manufacture of the main installation components, commissioning, testing and optimisation.
After a short break, the guests had the opportunity to learn about other environmentally focused projects. Dr Bartosz Gil presented Coolspaces 4 LIFE — a pioneering technology aimed at improving the energy efficiency of public buildings through a solar-powered cooling system.
Martyna Jankiewicz then presented RE-ELECTRO 4 LIFE — a project by the PROZON Climate Protection Foundation in collaboration with Wrocław University of Technology, EKOTEZ and K-NET — and discussed its innovative system for the reuse of decommissioned refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. As the speaker noted, PROZON had for many years been accepting decommissioned refrigeration and air conditioning units alongside recovered refrigerants, which gave rise to the idea of making use of them through the RE-ELECTRO 4 LIFE project.
The final conference presentation was delivered by Iwona Bombik, project manager of LEGAL HFC 4 LIFE — a project aimed at developing collaborative tools to halt F-gas smuggling. This is an issue that has long plagued the refrigeration and air conditioning industry and requires close cooperation among numerous stakeholders and public authorities. The project manager outlined the project’s main objectives, the actions taken to date, and the planned next stages of implementation, which are intended to raise awareness and knowledge among industry representatives, public officials and the general public regarding the handling of illegal HFCs and legislative changes, as well as to draw attention to the problem of refrigerant smuggling.
After all the presentations had been delivered, guests had the opportunity to test their knowledge in a quiz prepared by the conference organiser. The questions related to the objectives and goals of the projects presented by the speakers, and prizes were awarded to the winners.
The closing conference for the Refrigerants LIFE Cycle project concluded at none other than the site of the now-celebrated refrigerant blend separation installation in Grabce Józefpolskie, at the 4R facility of the PROZON Climate Protection Foundation. President Krzysztof Grzegorczyk welcomed the arriving guests on site and introduced the history of the new facility. Visitors were able to admire the installation up close, while process engineer Marta Olszewska explained its operation in the control room. The presentation drew admiration, and guests were generous in their praise, as the visit to the 4R facility provided them with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on insight into modern methods of refrigerant separation.
The PROZON Climate Protection Foundation extends its heartfelt thanks for your presence and engagement, which contributed greatly to the success of our event. We were treated to inspiring presentations that provided valuable insights into the latest regulations, technological innovations and projects aimed at protecting the environment in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. We are confident that the exchange of experience and the connections made during the conference will have a positive impact on the development of our industry.
We hope the conference proved a source of new inspiration and ideas for future action. We also look forward to continuing our collaboration and working together on future projects that will contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development!
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The event was attended by over 120 people in total. Simultaneous interpretation and English-subtitled materials were available to online participants, allowing our partners from the Czech Republic, Italy and other countries to follow the entire event comfortably.
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