Global Cooling Prize China Launch Event

On February 26, 2019, Rocky Mountain Institute and the China Association of Refrigeration co-hosted the Global Cooling Prize Launch Event in Beijing, China. The event showcased the Global Cooling Prize and called upon professionals in the Chinese AC and refrigeration industry to participate and create a breakthrough residential cooling technology with 5X less climate impact than standard units on the market today.

Wang Shancheng, Deputy director of the Department of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC); Yang Ziwei, Energy Conservation Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Government of People’s Republic of China; Meng Qingguo, Secretary-General and Vice Chairman of the China Association of Refrigeration; and Hu Min, Director of the Kigali Refrigeration Energy Efficiency China Program, spoke at the event and called upon industry players to participate.

The event was attended by over 60 delegates from major air-conditioning manufacturers, air-conditioning and refrigeration research institutes, technical experts from universities, and industry representatives from international organizations who had gathered there to discuss the prize application process, criteria, testing protocols, and participation support for the competition.

At the kick-off meeting, the Rocky Mountain Institute released the latest research report “Solving the Global Cooling Challenge: How to Counter the Climate Threat from Room Air Conditioners” and a briefing for China’s AC and refrigeration industry “Transforming the Global Comfort Cooling Market: China’s Opportunity for Economic and Climate Leadership.”

The two reports show that global demand for air-conditioning and refrigeration is growing rapidly. By 2100, room air-conditioning could cause global temperatures to rise by at least 0.5 degrees Celsius, making it on of the single largest end-use risks to our climate. As a global leader in air-conditioning manufacturing, China continues to play a leading role in the field of innovation and the air-conditioning industry. The Global Cooling Prize presents an immense opportunity to the Chinese manufacturers to become market, energy, and climate leaders both in China, and around the world.

The Chinese version of the Global Cooling Prize website was launched on February 25, 2019. If you are interested in applying, register at globalcoolingprize.org/apply for your chance to win $3 million and provide cooling for all, without warming the planet.

For the Chinese WeChat coverage, click here.