TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the Academy
In response, the Green & Cool Academy has been created, which is essentially a training
course in transcritical CO₂ technology for refrigeration technicians. Over two days, the
course covers an extensive range of areas, from a general introduction to the technology
to practical demonstrations of the equipment. It is offered in German, English, French,
Dutch, Polish and all of the Nordic languages.
being left behind. Once you loose market share it is exceptionally hard to regain it.”
And if anyone still doubts that the future of refrigeration lies in CO 2
, Micael is quick to
point out that in many countries the trend is towards phasing out HFCs. “If you want to
remain in this business in the future, you need to educate yourself now.”
In recent years, Alfa Laval has also chosen to prioritise CO 2
technology and has become a
leading manufacturer of CO 2
cooling systems. Currently they are the only manufacturer
that can supply air coolers and plate heat exchangers for high-pressure units. Alfa Laval
recently launched the Optigo range, a new series of commercial air coolers, designed
for 80 bar pressure with small copper tube diameter optimised for CO 2
.
Consequently, Alfa Laval also has a vested interest in expanding the knowledge of such
technology within the industry, and so have leant their support to the Green & Cool
Academy.
“This is clearly a growing market, particularly in Nordic markets and the UK,” says
Göran Hammarson, Key Account Manager, Alfa Laval. “But we can see that there is a
lack of knowledge. Every time there is something new, there is resistance, and there
are currently far fewer producers of machinery compared to traditional refrigeration
equipment.”
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Alfa Laval’s main contribution to the Green & Cool Academy has been to provide
equipment and heat exchangers to their workshop. In addition, two Alfa Laval
representatives, including Göran Hammarson, took part in the first training session.
“We want to continue to be one of the leading manufacturers in this segment. But
we are also on a learning curve, we have to increase our internal knowledge too,” says
Göran. “Overall I thought it was very interesting. It was a good mix of technicians,
consultants and sales representatives, combining both theory and practice.”
Göran is not alone in responding so positively to the course and the first training
sessions have proven to be a huge success, with participants giving the course an
average score of eight out of ten. “People have already responded to the first training
session, with requests for follow-ups,” says Micael Antonsson. “It is clear that a lot of
people want deeper knowledge and to be able to expand.”
However with the rapid growth in CO 2
refrigeration set to continue, the need for
better expertise will only increase. “The problem is that a lot of companies don’t want
to disclose they don’t have the knowledge,” adds Micael. “Those that don’t adapt risk