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December 22 - The US ARI and GAMA Merge: Newly Named "AHRI"

The GAMA membership and the ARI membership approved the merger of the two associations, and on January 1, 2008 the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) will be incorporated in Virginia, USA, as the trade association for the air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration industry.
The new association will be in the top tier of trade associations in Washington.
"With 370 members and some 65 staff members based in Arlington, Virginia, we will be well-equipped to increase our already substantial global presence in standards, certification, and advocacy" said Steve Yurek, President of ARI..
As authorized by both the ARI and GAMA Executive Committees, the Integration Committee, consisting of ARI Chairman Dave Myers, GAMA Chairman Pat Quilty, and ARI Immediate Past Chairman Robert Wilkins, has met several times to plan and reach consensus on specific issues regarding the merger.
The first Executive Committee of AHRI will be held on February 4, 2008, at the AHRI offices in Arlington, Virginia. Mark Menzer, Executive Vice President, will be the staff contact for this committee.

December 22 - DENSO Announces Top Management Change for North America

DENSO recently announced that Mitsuo "Matt" Matsushita, president and chief executive officer of DENSO International America, DENSO's North American headquarters, and managing officer of DENSO Corporation, will retire from DENSO effective Dec. 31, 2007. Matsushita has served as president and chief operating officer of DENSO International America since July 2002, and was named president and chief executive officer in July 2004.
Matsushita has worked at DENSO for 36 years, since he graduated from Kanazawa University in Ishikawa pref., Japan in 1971. Prior to his U.S. assignment, he served as executive vice president of DENSO International Europe B.V., DENSO's European headquarters in Weesp, The Netherlands, from January 2000 through June 2002.
Kenji Ohya, senior managing director and a member of the Board of Directors, DENSO Corporation, will replace Matsushita as president and CEO of DENSO International America. Ohya began his career at DENSO in the Sales Department in 1972 after graduating with a bachelor's degree in Economics from Kyoto University in Kyoto prefecture, Japan

December 20 - Sharp To Build World's Largest Solar Cell Plant

According to a Japanese newspaper, Sharp Chairman Katsuhiko Machida told press reporters on December 14 that the firm will be spending close to 100 billion yen on a solar cell factory to be built in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.
The facility is slated to produce thin-film solar cells, which use less silicon than conventional cells, starting in fiscal 2009. It is expected to become the world's largest solar cell plant, with an annual production capacity of 1,000 MegaWatts.
Sharp is currently the global leader in solar cell production, with an annual output capacity of 710MW.
The plant is to be built adjacent to the firm's LCD panel factory currently under construction. According to Machida, 14 other firms are expected to invest in equipment at the site.
Firms planning to conduct operations at the site include U.S. glass manufacturer Corning Inc., color filter producers Dai Nippon Printing Co. and Toppan Printing Co., Kansai Electric Power Co. and Osaka Gas Co.

December 19 - Ingersoll Rand to Acquire Trane Inc.

Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited announced on December 17, 2007 that it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Trane Inc., formerly American Standard Companies Inc., in a transaction valued at approximately $10.1 billion, including transaction fees and the assumption of approximately $150 million of Trane net debt. Trane is a global leader in indoor climate control systems, services and solutions with expected 2007 revenues of $7.4 billion.
Herbert L. Henkel, Ingersoll Rand chairman, president and chief executive officer, said, "The combination of Ingersoll Rand and Trane will create a global, diversified industrial company with projected pro forma 2008 revenues of $17 billion. The new Ingersoll Rand portfolio will include an $11 billion Climate Control business which will offer high value equipment, systems and services necessary for delivering solutions across the temperature spectrum for indoor, stationary, and transport applications worldwide.
"As a result of expected revenue and cost synergies, we are confident that this acquisition will improve Ingersoll Rand's future earnings growth potential. We believe the new Ingersoll Rand will be capable of sustaining annual organic revenue growth averaging 5-7% and EPS growth exceeding 15% per year, both in excess of our former growth guidance. In particular, assuming timely consummation of the proposed acquisition, we anticipate earnings of $4.00 per share in 2008."
Fred Poses, Trane chairman and CEO said, "For our shareowners, this offer represents an attractive price for our shares today and the opportunity to participate in a powerful global diversified industrial company in the future. Combining Trane and Ingersoll Rand's climate control operation creates a very strong business. With the size, strength and operational effectiveness of a $17 billion global industrial company, we believe this combination is best for our customers, employees and shareowners in the long term." Poses will remain in his position until the acquisition is completed.
Source: Ingersoll Rand web site

December 15 - UK Health Agency Confirms Sanyo's Air Purifying System

UK Health Agency Confirms Sanyo's Air Purifying System with Virus Washer technology suppresses 99.999994% of airborne Bacteria Sanyo Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., a 'leading provider of Environment- and Energy-related products', announced that its innovative Air Purifying System equipped with 'Virus Washer technology' (Model: VW-VF10BG) has been proven to suppress 99.999994% of an airborne bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis) from treated air following extensive tests by the UK Health Protection Agency at Porton Down.
People are becoming increasingly concerned with air quality over recent years and hospital 'superbugs' such as 'MRSA' and 'Clostridium difficile' are continuing to cause the health service significant problems. The need for effective methods to combat airborne bacteria, viruses and allergens is ever-increasing and Sanyo's Virus Washer technology was developed to do just that. The Virus Washer technology operates by creating electrolyzed water, which is done by combining tap water with electricity.
The Virus Washer uses an electrolyzed water disinfecting element to inactivate airborne infective agents and allergens. The unit works by electrolyzed water running over the air purification element in the Virus Washer. Indoor air is then forced to circulate through the element, inactivating airborne bacteria and viruses which pass through it.

December 15 - The 3rd International Seminar on Natural Refrigerants

Date: February 15, 2008
Venue: Tokyo International Exhibition Center "Tokyo Big Sight"
Organizer's Aim

• Global environmental problems such as the protection of the stratosphere ozone layer and the prevention of global warming have a significant effect on the choice of refrigerant in refrigeration and air conditioning industries.
• The regulation of R134a in car air conditioning has already affected Europe, and the prospects for HFCs are unclear. Under these circumstances, the first and second Natural Refrigerant International Seminars were held in 2004 and 2006, and there was a lively discussion on the present technology, market trend, trend of the standard, and future prospect of various natural refrigerants.
• Thereafter, the interest in natural refrigerants has increased every year, and peculiar products such as a carbon dioxide heat pump water heater, an isobutene domestic refrigerator, and a vending machine have appeared in the market. HVAC&R JAPAN 2008-the 35th exhibition of refrigeration, air conditioning, and heating-will be held during February 12-15, 2008, by the sponsorship of the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association. On this occasion the third International Seminar on Natural Refrigerants has been planned to hold on February 15, 2008, at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center. For this seminar, specialists in the fields of refrigerants and refrigeration from all over the world are invited to participate in discussions on energy conservation and the possibility of the choice of a new refrigerant and exchange opinions from different points of view.

December 12 - Japanese Study Recommends to Adopt Heat Pumps

A wider spread of heat pump technology would result in CO2 emissions reductions of 130 million tons per year, or 10% of Japan's current total emissions, a new study has found. It is in line with IEA (International Energy Agency) projections that 1.2 billion tons or 6% of the world's CO2 emissions could be removed if the ownership rate of heat pumps reached 30% worldwide.
The study "Heat Pumps - Long-Awaited Way out of Global Warming", released by the Heat Pump & Thermal Storage Technology Center of Japan (HPTCJ) in October, explains in detail the current technical conditions of heat pump technology, its application fields, and energy savings. Based on latest market studies and performance data, the document urges business, policy makers and end-users to adopt heat pumps as a global solution.
Drawing attention to technical and policy developments regarding heat pumps in Japan, the study focuses more specifically on "Eco Cute" hot water heaters using the natural refrigerant CO2 (R744). The "epoch-making product" is currently a key pillar of industry and government efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Kyoto Protocol Target Achievement Plan and the New National Energy Strategy.

December 11 - Bali Climate Talks: Global deal by 2009 still possible

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged world leaders to adopt a new climate change deal by 2009 to follow the Kyoto Protocol, with a key role played by business. After the first week of the UN Bali conference, results still look promising.
"We want to unleash the power of markets, capital, innovation and entrepreneurship in our fight against global warming," Ban said on Thursday before joining the climate change talks in Bali. He urged political leaders to agree on a post-Kyoto deal embraced by all nations by 2009 to seize the opportunity to jump-start growth and development, not hinder it. A recent report by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) had stated that curbing serious global warming would cost as little as 0.1% of GDP over the next 30 years, with already existing technologies having at least a 10% rate of return on investment.
Meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali from December 4-14, more than 10,000 policymakers, scientists and environmental groups are currently discussing a predecessor to the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012. The first week revealed new climate plans and large disaccords among political leaders

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