GeneralGas Kryon® Refrigerant Solutions!

on 11/10/2018

GeneralGas – Revitalization summary to be presented to Prime Minister.

GeneralGas Kryon® Refrigerants Italy was established in year 1990 and is an industry leader in the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration sectors, bringing over 40 years expertise and excellence to its customers in Europe, Middle East and USA.

GeneralGas has a longstanding, well consolidated partnership with the leading multinational Honeywell Fluorochemicals; they have developed extensive know-how in RAC and deliver superior quality, innovation and regulatory expertise to its Customers with workable solutions. GeneralGas adopts and is committed to following quality standards, such as UNI EN ISO 9001:2008 and AHRI 700 specifications (quality reference for all the refrigerants used in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning worldwide). GeneralGas range of products and services for the RAC market play a leading role in helping its customers – wholesalers, contractors and end users – to meet and implement their environmental requirements in a changing world. ‘
Carmine Marotta

Global evolution – from 2nd to 3rd Generation Refrigerants (from HCFCs to HFCs)
In the ’80 the two American scientists presented a new theory showing that the chlorine contained in the CFC gases causes damages in the atmospheric ozone layer. The refrigerant industry was deeply involved in such situation; environmental care required the elimination of chlorine which until then constituted the strong point to achieve the required features of refrigerant fluids. In 1987, the Montreal Protocol established the progressive decrease in use over time of CFCs, until the complete suspension of their production in year 2000.

In the meantime, 2nd generation refrigerants – HCFCs – came into use, such as R22 and R502. HCFCs are CFCs where chlorine particles are partially replaced with hydrogen, so to make the molecules unstable when in contact with the atmosphere; as a consequence, they tend to decompose very quickly reducing the detrimental effect on the ozone. In HCFCs, hydrogen only partially replaces chlorine; thus, European regulations 549/91 and 3952/92 ratified the early stop of CFCs production and the progressive retirement of HCFCs; 3rd generation HFC gases were then born, refrigerant fluids where chlorine particles are completely replaced by hydrogen. In 1998, the Kyoto Climate Change World Conference focused on HFC refrigerant because even though they don’t present the detrimental effect to the ozone layer, they are still a big contributor to the Greenhouse Effect.

In year 2006 the European union ratifies the 842 F-GAS regulation that dictates a periodic control of RAC systems to prevent the risk of leaks and set a limit to phase-out HFC with GWP > 150 in automobile air conditioning. A ban on disposable cylinder was also implemented in Europe, effective year 2007; from that date, only refillable cylinders were accepted for commercialization within the entire European geography.

The future – Low GWP 4th Generation Refrigerants (HFOs)
Following the path laid in 2006 by the first European F-Gas Regulation 842/2006, implemented a few years after in the new F-Gas regulation 517/2014, Honeywell Fluorochemicals ventured in a research project to identify a new set of fluorinated particles, belonging to the 4th generation HFO (hydro-fluoro-olefins), which allowed a low GWP maintaining the required application properties and high performance.

The new molecule complied with the requirement imposed by the F-Gas regulation (CE 842-2006) for a few fluorinated greenhouse gases, which limited the GWP to 150. Honeywell and Chemours, therefore, identified the HFO1234yf as best candidate to replace the HFC R-134a in automotive A/C.

HFO1234yf proved during the following years to be a perfectly sustainable solution; it is a pure gas with high energy efficiency, low toxicity and can be used in systems designed for R-134a with minor modifications thanks to its mild flammability. Other LowGWP HFO molecules – Solstice® HFO 1234ze (E) and Solstice® HFO 1234zd – were also introduced by Honeywell; they show excellent application properties as both refrigerant and solvent. Nowadays, a wide range of 4th generation pure gases and HFO based blends is commercially available worldwide, and they are perfectly suitable to replace “old” HFCs for any application in residential A/C (split and chillers), Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration, Automotive Air Conditioning.

GeneralGas experience at your Service
GeneralGas has experienced in the last two decades wide regulatory and technical expertise to drive the transition from HCFCs to HFCs first and nowadays from HFCs to Low GWP HFOs.
GeneralGas people strive to understand how the different markets are evolving and aim to be a provider of sustainable and efficient product and service solutions rather than a mere supplier of chemical molecules.

We aim to help our customers outside Europe to leverage on our 40 years’ experience by providing them with the best products and up-to-date solutions, so as to anticipate their local market evolution and become industry leaders in the respective geography.

We, recently, held a seminar in Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore. The event was graced by several renowned consultants, contractors, wholesalers and end users. It was our pleasure to highlight the core business of General Gas and we emphasized on the use of branded and certified HVAC related products and what makes KRYON refrigerants the best amongst their competitors. With the quality products in our portfolio, we hope to progress in Pakistan with our partners QMB.

Pakistan has over 5.3 m non-paying electricity connections!

on 11/10/2018

Electricity theft from national grid stands at 3.9 pc!

The estimated cost of power theft during 2017-18 is over Rs53 billion, reveals a report of the Senate Committee on Circular Debt.
The recently released report, authored by Senator Shibli Faraz, disclosed that electricity theft from the national grid stood at 3.9 per cent. Based on an energy supply of 120,400.5GWh, and unit sale price of Rs11.37/kWh, power theft came out to be Rs53.4bn.
High transmission and distribution (T&D) losses, the report said, have contributed Rs187bn over the past five years to the overall circular debt.
It notes that T&D losses of distribution companies (Discos) increased to 18.3pc while the acceptable benchmark level revolves around 10pc in developed countries. The electric supply companies of Peshawar, Quetta, Sukkur and Hyderabad were the worst performers with losses ranging between 22-38pc.
In absolute terms, Pesco lead the charts with a loss of 4,079GWh, followed by Lesco at 2,839GWh and Mepco 2,698GWh. Saving even 1pc of the losses in these companies will have a larger impact compared to smaller Discos.
Meanwhile, the cumulative receivables of Discos soared by Rs154.5bn to Rs824.4bn by the end of FY18.
Of these, receivables from running defaulters and permanent disconnections accounted for Rs500.2bn, while those from the federal government and related entities amounted to Rs244.3bn.
A breakdown of this head shows that there are 5.3 million non-paying electricity connections who are either willful or running defaulters (unable to pay), with their cumulative outstanding balances standing at Rs404.8bn.
`In FY17, the Government of Pakistan raised financing of Rs71bn on Discos` books for fund-ing circular debt and levied taxes of Rs75bn on these Discos,` the report states.
Moreover, a delay in notification of consumer tariffs by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) is expected to have affected circular debt by around Rs108bn by 2017-18 end.
As of June 30, circular debt was recorded at Rs1.196 trillion, of which Rs613bn is outstanding towards independent power producers and fuel suppliers.
The report finds serious inconsistencies in finances of the Central Power Purchasing Agency, Discos and Power Holding Pvt Ltd, given that even the principal amounts reported by the companies failed to reconcile with each other.
`There is no consolidated financial model in place that can project financial position, performance and results of the power sector based on key assumptions such as price sensitivities, change in prices of imported fuel, rupee devaluation impact, interest rates etc,` thereport stated.
As for future capacity increases, around 20GW of electricity generation projects will be added in the system over the next five years while the power shortfall is expected to last until 2020-21.
The Senate Committee stresses the need for provincial governments to be stakeholders in power sector. `A minimum level of power sharing could be done through involving relevant provincial line ministries in the boards of Discos operating in the jurisdiction of respective governments,` the publication noted.
Other recommendations included introducing a consolidated financial reporting mechanism as well as simplifying the tax structure since it is one of the biggestcontributors to circular debt.
Additionally, the report questioned the role of two price regulators Nepra and Oil and Gas Regulat ory Authority calling for either a merger or improved coordination between the two.

Advanced CCTV in Pakistan

on 28/09/2018

CCTV ‘s are frequently utilized for surveillance in locations that may require regular monitoring such as casinos, banks, military installations, airports, shopping malls, convenience stores, etc.

Apart from this, CCTV cameras have wide applications across the globe, by government institutions to reduce and avoid domestic and international security threats.

This has ultimately generated the demand for technically advanced CCTV surveillance system, thus strengthening huge growth prospects for CCTV industrialists, distributors, and operators.
Apart from this, drop in prices and innovative features have intensified the growth of CCTV camera market, making it reasonable for even smaller companies to incorporate.

The global market has showcased significant growth over the past few years and is anticipated to generate substantial revenue in the future. The market is divided by type of styles, such as bullet CCTV camera, dome CCTV camera, discreet CCTV camera, and traditional camera.

The market is further bifurcated by application areas such as healthcare, retail, education, banking, transport etc. Some of the key vendors identified across the value chain in the global CCTV camera market include Bosch Security Systems Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Panasonic System Network Co. Limited, Axis Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Samsung Techwin, Vicon Industries, Mitsubishi Electric, Schneider Electric, Checkpoint System, Baxawell, and ADT Fire and Security.

Pakistan is a developing country with a growing population of around 189.87 million ruled by a democratically elected government. Even with the growing appetite of the young population for creative, innovative and high-quality goods and services, Pakistan’s economy has not yet experienced the rapid expansion seen in Asia’s emerging markets.

To revive growth, the government in collaboration with the IMF implemented economic reforms programs in 2013. On 1st January 2014, Pakistan qualified for the Generalized System of Preferences Plus awarded by the EU. The GSP allows developing countries to pay less or no duties on exports to the EU, which contributes to their growth. In 2014, Pakistan and China agreed on the ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’, a USD 46 billion investment program targeted towards the energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan, which is already home to over 600 foreign companies and is expected to grow in the future.

Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to slow growth and underdevelopment in Pakistan. Bureaucracy, terrorism, corruption, weak labor enforcement, and lack of enforced intellectual property rights are constraints for investors. However, Pakistan has the ninth largest English-speaking population in the world and a large educated workforce, which reduces labor and production costs along with the large population, which also serves as a consumer base.

Intl Fire & Safety, Security Asia Expo from Sep 25

on 28/09/2018

E-commerce Gateway Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd is organizing Security Asia – International Exhibition & Conference with concurrent event Fire & Safety Asia – International Exhibition & Conference which is scheduled for September 25 – 27, 2018 at Karachi Expo Centre.

The event is supported by Government of Pakistan along with Strategic Partners such as All Pakistan Security Agencies Association (APSAA), Fire Protection Association of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute of Management (PIM).

The event will host 250 plus international delegates from more than 600 companies, 1400 plus international & domestic brands, 50 plus conference speakers and 45,000 plus decision makers/buyers.

Also, 100,000 plus trade visitors are expected to attend the event. It is designed to create major opportunities for business-to-business alliances, leveraging their mutual strengths for capacity-building in this fast-evolving industry.

Event features
Exhibition: Security Solutions (focus: Security Hardware & Software) but not limited to software, digital surveillance video equipment & systems; biometrics; policing & security; network security systems.

Fire & Safety Solutions (focus: Fire & Safety equipment, solutions, and services) but not limited to fire prevention & protection, firefighting equipment, emergency alarm & warning systems, rescue, safety at work etc.

International Conferences: ‘Information Security Conference’ and ‘Fire & Safety Asia Conference’ will bring together leading professionals to share their knowledge and experiences.
B2B Networking will provide a platform for seller and buyer to interact and network with each other.

The event aims to address the increased demands and requirements of the Commercial Security, Information Security, Homeland Security, Counter-Terrorism, Fire Protection & Prevention, Firefighting Equipment, Emergency Alarm &Warning Systems, and Rescue Products & Services.

The moot will provide an ideal platform to showcase and highlight the innovative products & services for potential buyers and visitors besides gathering of stakeholders of the industry under one roof to network and do business.

Fire Safety Culture

on 28/09/2018

Fire And Safety –
“Adopting a fire safety culture is a corporate commitment that each organization should have in place.”

Fire safety is a corporate commitment. It should be a condition of employment to ensure that each individual understands how important fire safety is taken within the organization. Before fire safety arrangements and modern products, comes the old fashioned method of starting at the beginning and spreading the word to form a fire safety culture.

Don’t just follow the law
Compliance is an obligatory measure for thousands of companies universally. Organizations should be turning their attention to the importance of fire safety in the workplace. Life safety is the ultimate consequence if your building is not safe from fire. The welfare of employees, visitors and contractors in the workplace is the Responsible Persons ultimate protection from a fire occurring in their premises. Compliance is not just for ethical, moral or legal reasons, but because quite simply; it makes good business sense.

Good business sense has proven to be directly linked to business performance. Adopting a workplace that reflects the best approach, values, perception and approach to fire safety is the crucial aspect of a fire safety culture. It is the atmosphere that shapes safe behaviors and actions and results in everyone’s responsibility to safety as a significant part of their work. The results can be recognized to a culture that embraces safety and empowers employees to maintain a commitment to safety in everything they do. It should be valued by every employee.
A fire safety culture is not something that can just appear from the woodwork. It takes time, effort, encouragement and overall a positive management system so that it drives each level of personnel to focus on fire safety and the elimination of unsafe hazards and risks rather than just meeting regulatory requirements.

Following the Leader
Top level management is where it all begins. We all understand that the managerial board tends to dominate the organizations judgement and decisions. This is also the case with fire safety in the workplace. Every organization should have a driving point which will always start from effective managers with the correct attitudes and skills. Therefore it is essential for top management to have a genuine positive and strong attitude to fire safety culture. There needs to be a feeling among employees that the systems are confidently correct and trusted. A culture needs strong top-down support, good communication, established processes and built-in accountability. An active fire safety organisation that incorporates all levels from the organisation is an excellent resource.
These are the employees who can often spot the hazards and risks that managerial personnel won’t get a chance to see. Their reports should be taken seriously and followed up on, to provide real motivation for a safe premise. It will demonstrate leadership and encouragement. The Responsible Person must never forget that he/she has the ultimate responsibility.

Don’t feel overwhelmed with it all!
Once the Responsible Person has an understanding of legislation and fire safety in the workplace, it should start to all fall into place. Creating a fire safety culture will spread the load. It will be a unified commitment and you will not feel like the sole ranger in any of this. Training is a great source of not only learning and understanding fire safety in the workplace but encouragement from fully fledged fire safety consultants who have been through these thousands of times. Solutions Fire Safety maintain the theory that Fire Safety Training is the best source of drive, to empower the Responsible Person to go out into their workplace premises and use all their knowledge to effectively improve the fire safety within the organization.
We aim for the Responsible Person to feel confident enough to carry out the Fire Risk Assessment and act on the significant findings, improve fire safety strategies, procedures and arrangements and above all increase the fire safety awareness throughout the entire organization to gain a fire safety culture.