AMPF, host of World Refrigeration Day in Casablanca

On June 13, 2023, the Moroccan Association of Refrigeration Professionals (AMPF) organized the 5th Edition of World Refrigeration Day (WRD) in Casablanca. This day, normally celebrated on June 26 of each year, has been brought forward this year, Aïd El Kébir (Tabaski Day) obliges.

After words of welcome from the President of the AMPF, Mr. Saïd El Harch, who placed this celebration, whose theme is "Cold weather, the key to socio-economic development", in its context, the session of opening, moderated by a panel composed of MM. Steve Gill, founder of World Refrigeration Day (WRD), Madi Sakandé, President of the Union of Associations of African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Stakeholders (U-3ARC), Samir Rachid, Dg IRESEN (Energy Research Institute and New Energies) and Mohamed el Haouari from AMEE (Moroccan Agenda for Energy Efficiency), replacing Mr. Mohamed Benyahia, who was unable to attend.

He did not omit to recall that the cold is not a luxury, but rather a necessity that all participants can appreciate in each of their respective activities, from getting up to when he was speaking...

At the heart of the society

The founder of the WRD took the opportunity to recall the origin of the creation of the day, June 26 of each year, in commemoration of the birth of the Kelvin scale, of his apprehensions, of the enthusiasm for the first in 2019, prospects, in particular better communication with those outside the sector, even delivering eco-responsible refrigeration solutions.

Following in his footsteps, President U-3ARC, will return to the genesis of this pan-African organization, which campaigns for a refrigeration sector capable of providing solutions to illegal immigration, as there is so much to do. In his opinion, the refrigeration mechanic is at the center of society given the cross-functionality of his profession. He finds that if policy makers play the game, this sector can bring a big boost to the development of the continent.

Samir Rachidi, DG IRESEN, for his part, returned to the missions of this structure which he manages and which has existed for 12 years. Both the resources put into research at the academic and professional levels, and the support for research projects (76 in total) have led to convincing results. Race results, research projects funded, startups created, patents filed (03), particularly in solar air conditioning... is not a luxury", he assured after learning that this is a sector that consumes 20% of global energy, knowing that in the rest of the continent and in developing countries this ratio is higher important. In some countries, the cold chain is almost non-existent, he lamented. Post-agricultural losses, with the corollary of food sovereignty slipping through their fingers… have been scrutinized.

Alternative Flammable Refrigerants

The representative of the DG of the AMEE, Mr. Mohamed el Haouari, magnified the relations with AMPF, which has become a serious partner, as well as the importance of a sector that he finds transversal. The AMEE, which works in the energy and environmental fields, advocates for the optimization of energy consumption, regulations, standards and support.

This first session was followed by a rich debate, confirming the primacy of a sector for socio-economic development; until the FAO included the issue of cold in a recent report. President U-3ARC is considering a future visit to the AU Energy Commission in Addis Ababa, following the MoU signed with IIF (International Institute of Refrigeration).

The panel, which followed on “Alternative Flammable and Natural Refrigerants”, captivated the audience. The reason for the change, the standards, the toxicity, the flammable nature, the safety, the skills of the technicians... until the idea of a single certification, nothing has been hidden. Exchanges go on the afternoon.