CO2 training academy launched in the UK

With the interest in CO₂ refrigeration on the rise in the UK, a ‘CO₂ Academy’ has been launched to address the main barrier to a wider adoption of CO₂ commercial refrigeration technology: the shortage of technicians trained in handling the natural refrigerant.

The ‘European CO₂ Refrigeration Training Academy’ has been launched by WR Refrigeration, a daughter company of Huurre Group that last year created a joint venture with CO₂ specialist Enex srl to offer consulting, design installation and servicing services in CO₂ refrigeration in Northern, Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom.

"Interest in carbon dioxide has increased dramatically over the past year or so. It is an attractive alternative to HFC systems as it is environmentally friendly, safe and proven”, WR Refrigeration business development and marketing director Patrick Mullins said. "The major obstacle to widespread adoption to date, however, has been the shortage of engineers trained in handling carbon dioxide. The CO₂ Academy meets this need and unlocks the huge potential of carbon dioxide for end-users."

All main types of CO₂ systems under one roof

Building on the company’s previous in-house training centre, the training facility encompasses under the same examples of subcritical, transcritical and cascade CO₂ systems.

Based on a mini-supermarket format, the facility incorporates:

high temperature display cases
low temperature display cases
a walk-in cold room

In-house and third party training

Anticipating a roll-out of CO₂ technology by major UK and European end users, WR Refrigeration and parent company Huurre Group will train their engineers at the facility.

Despite offering in-house training, the facility is providing CO₂ training to third party UK contractors, consultants and end-users involved with CO₂ projects.