Australia’s refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) industry is experiencing significant growth, with 2024–25 being the highest growth year for the industry in licensing.
As per the recently published Permit Scheme Annual Report by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC), the heat pump sector has experienced a surge in permit numbers, which reflects the growing demand for split system heat pump units and its installations.
A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) report in 2023 emphasised the rapid heat pump uptake, which is expected to continue at least into the mid-2030s, as heat pumps continue to replace gas appliances in both existing and new buildings.
The report further outlined additional HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) usage from the surge in heat pumps is estimated to add up to 0.071 million tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) into the atmosphere, equating to around 4.4 per cent of the Montreal Protocol limit of 1.622Mt CO2e in 2036.
This underpins the importance of proper handling of the equipment, as split system heat pumps contain regulated refrigerants, which can be harmful if released into the environment.
To strengthen the understanding of regulatory requirements across licence holders, the Australian Refrigeration Council, with support from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW), is launching a pilot program to engage with Refrigerant Handling Licence (RHL) holders by conducting field engagement visits.
This pilot program will have an education-first approach, and will be conducted across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. Licence holders, particularly those operating independently (i.e. not affiliated with any Refrigerant Trading Authorisation), will be selected by the field engagement team.
Three licence categories are selected for this program, inclusive of the restricted heat pump installation and decommissioning, full refrigeration and air conditioning, and automotive air conditioning licence holders.
This initiative responds to feedback from the DCCEEW’s recent ‘Have your say’ survey early in 2025, in which over half of respondents indicated support for independent field engagement visits for these licence types.
The visits are primarily designed to support technicians in best practice, empowering them to reduce emissions, reinforce understanding of regulatory requirements and licence conditions, identify knowledge gaps to understand how to further improve the program, and promote best practice in refrigerant handling.
During these visits, licence holders will receive educational materials and guidance, with follow-up support if needed. These field engagement visits offer the industry a valuable opportunity to engage with ARC experts, ask questions and strengthen their understanding of regulatory requirements.
This initiative by the ARC reinforces the organisation’s vision to create a safe, environmentally friendly and dynamic climate control industry, so that the permit holders can carry out their work safely and in accordance with licence conditions and regulations.
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