SUPERMARKETS
FANS
a supermarket can achieve considerable savings. The paper presents data showing that a typical store can cover up to 100% of its own heating demand, leading to a potential payback period of less than two years for the initial investment in the heat recovery system. The benefi ts extend beyond simple cost savings: Decarbonisation: By decommissioning fossil fuel boilers, retailers can take a signifi cant step towards meeting corporate and national carbon reduction targets. Operational simplicity: Managing one integrated system for both cooling and heating is simpler and more effi cient than operating two separate systems. Future-proofi ng: As carbon taxes and environmental regulations become more stringent, having a low-carbon heating solution already in place provides a signifi cant competitive advantage and hedges against future cost increases.
Beyond the store: becoming an energy exporter Perhaps the most forward-thinking concept explored in the whitepaper is the opportunity for supermarkets to become net energy exporters. In many cases, especially during warmer months, the amount of recoverable heat far exceeds the store’s own needs. Instead of simply venting this surplus, it can be sold to a local district heating network. This transforms the supermarket’s energy profi le from a
Download the ACR News app today
simple consumer to a proactive producer, creating an entirely new revenue stream. A store that once paid for both electricity for cooling and gas for heating could now be earning money by providing sustainable heat to its local community. This aligns perfectly with the global trend towards integrated, circular energy systems and positions the supermarket as a cornerstone of the local green energy infrastructure.
Conclusion: the smart choice for modern retail The evidence presented in the Danfoss whitepaper is clear: heat recovery is no longer a niche add-on but an essential component of any modern, sustainable, and profi table food retail operation. It represents a fundamental shift in how we view energy, transforming a waste product into one of the most valuable assets a store possesses. For retailers looking to gain a competitive edge, reduce their
environmental impact, and build a resilient business model for the future, the path forward involves looking not to the sky, but to the heat already fl owing through their refrigeration systems. In the Danfoss Smart Store, our CO₂ refrigeration system has done more than preserve refrigerated food; it has completely covered the store’s space heating needs. From October 2023 to October 2025, the system delivered 100 MWh of heat for space heating without drawing a single kilowatt-hour from other sources, while 40 MWh of surplus heat was sold to the local district heating company.
To access the whitepaper, scan the QR code.
www.acr-news.com • April 2026 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
