Epta Group
Women in Coolings:
I started my career in refrigeration just after I got my MSc in Energy Engineering, in 2014; at that time, I had to decide if starting a PhD (I was coming from 6 months of research on hydrogen technologies in the Netherlands) or to join a private company. As my aspiration was to make a tangible impact in the “real world”, I decided to join Epta Group and to accept a role as thermodynamic engineer in the R&D department of Casale Monferrato, Italy.
Since then, I have worked with natural refrigerants, in particular R290 and R600a, developing refrigeration systems for light commercial applications: ice-cream freezers, beverage coolers, plug-ins and self-contained units for retails and proximity stores. I professionally grew in the R&D laboratory, which is the best playground for an engineer with a “hands-on” and practical attitude; seeing projects turn into functioning products, serially manufactured, operating on the field, is still the greatest satisfaction. Being involved in testing appliances for performances and also safety, preventing flammability related risks has always been my daily mission: finding the best solution is like solving a complex puzzle, different each time!
During these years, I discovered a dynamic industrial sector, always ready to accept challenges and evolve together with scientific knowledge, not afraid to renovate systems, technologies and components over the years, from a generation of refrigerants to the other. I was astonished for the commitment on environmental protection, always at first place with no compromises; agreements for ban of ozone-depleting gases (Montreal Protocol) and phase-down of refrigerants with powerful greenhouse effect (Kigali Amendment) for me are real examples of effective collaboration between governments, industrial players and international organizations.
Now that I run the R&D laboratory, I am eager to tackle all the themes the future will bring (efficiency improvement to meet EU targets for 2030, overall carbon footprint reduction to drive towards “net zero”, technical knowledge transfer, …) and to continue to give my contribution to this industry, a fundamental yet underrated sector for many human activities.
