Titled “Air conditioning and refrigeration of the future” (“Climatisation et froid du future”) the funding initiative first launched by France’s Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy in September 2015, allocated a total of €1.8 million of grants in the first round.
The majority of the energy efficient projects handed grants in the first round utilise natural refrigerant technology including PV-Cooling’s thermodynamic system (propane based) and heat pumps from boostHEAT (CO2), TFP-Propane and SThG Climatisation.
The second call for proposals is part of the French government’s goal to bring natural refrigerant technology faster to the market. The main focus is the air conditioning and refrigeration technology that has already been developed and needs to be pushed to the market (demonstrated and commercialised).
“The fluids used in the world today (including HCFCs and HFCs) have a powerful effect on global warming and are responsible, depending on the year, from 10 to 15% of the greenhouse effect. By 2050, in the absence of regulatory action, HFCs alone will account for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions,” – reads the official document released by the Ministry.
Sectors covered by the call for projects:
- Commercial refrigeration; industrial refrigeration (Agro-Food industries (Industries Agro-Alimentaires), refrigerated warehouses, etc.) – the intermediary closing date is on 9 May, 2016. More information: https://appelsaprojets.ademe.fr/aap/AMI%20INDU2014-75
- Air conditioners and individual heat pumps; air conditioners in offices or retail sector, including chillers – the first closing date is on 30 May, 2016. More information: https://appelsaprojets.ademe.fr/aap/AAPBAT2014-55
- Refrigerated transport – open for submissions until 1 October, 2016
For more information about the second call for projects, please visit: http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/Appel-a-projets-Climatisation-et.html and http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/NoteTechnique__ClimEtFroidDuFutur_2eVolet.pdf
Successful first round
In September 2015, the French government initiated a call for R&D projects for companies using low GWP fluids.
At the side event of COP21 in Paris, the Minister Segolene Royal announced the following projects that were selected to receive a grant for development of energy efficient technologies:
- PV-Cooling – cold generation by a thermodynamic system using propane and coupled to Photovoltaic (PV) plant
- boostHEAT – development of a thermodynamic heat pump boiler for heating, hot water and cooling residential and commercial buildings. CO2 is used as a refrigerant in the heat pump cycle
- Solve – VMC turbofan powered by photovoltaic panel
- Renewclim – 100 % renewable air conditioning using solar power
- TFP-Propane – design and development of a heat pump using propane
- SThG Climatisation – heat pump with a natural refrigerant
- Optidec – evaporating cooling solution
- AdiaBriCS – development of a cooling system with a terracota evaporator tank for buildings
