CASE STUDIES CO2 refrigeration revolutionises


Bidfood Glasgow’s energy consumption Star Refrigeration has helped Bidfood move one step closer to meeting their Net Zero targets by installing two dual temperature CO2


cooling


systems at its recently built cold store in Glasgow. The systems set a new industry standard in energy performance, consuming 49.5% less energy than the ‘Best Practice’ Benchmark for similar size facilities in Britain.


B


idfood, one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, has continuously demonstrated its commitment towards a greener future.


The installation by Star Refrigeration aligns seamlessly with their ambitious climate targets to reduce carbon emissions by at least 90% by 2045, particularly as the new facility now boasts an environmentally benign refrigerant providing close to a 50% reduction in energy consumption compared to UK ‘Best Practice’. Dr Rob Lamb, Group sales and marketing


director at Star Refrigeration said: “The refrigeration systems at Bidfood’s Glasgow site demonstrate the potential for businesses aiming to transition towards energy effi cient and climate friendly operations by using CO2


cooling


technology. Bidfood’s decision to prioritise sustainability has not only set a commendable benchmark but has also delivered tangible benefi ts, showcasing reduced energy costs and carbon emissions that outperform the industry’s Best Practice standards across the country.” Operational since November 2022, Bidfood


Glasgow’s refrigeration system uses carbon dioxide (CO2


refrigerants under the F-gas Regulation, CO2 refrigeration systems are located


) as the refrigerant. Unlike synthetic is a


sustainable, future-proof natural alternative with a global warming potential (GWP) of just 1. The CO2


externally, adjacent to the building, and provide cooling to a freezer, chill store and marshalling area. The site’s core freezer system maintains a temperature of -250


C, with a design cooling


duty of 245kW, while the chill areas operate at +20


C and have a combined cooling duty of


268kW. To ensure optimal air circulation and a consistent temperature throughout the facility, multiple coolers equipped with effi cient EC fans have been installed. Running at a speed of 50%, these fans off er savings of up to 87.5% over their traditional counterparts.


The cooling plant has also been fi tted with a heat recovery system which repurposes waste


heat for underfl oor heating and provides warm glycol defrost on the air coolers. Its control system off ers real-time data monitoring, fault dial out and remote access capabilities to allow for swift performance adjustments, and ongoing maintenance. Energy data recorded for the 37,500 m3 facility has been collected and analysed since it was installed in 2022. The results reveal that the Specifi c Energy Consumption at Bidfood’s Glasgow site stands at 10.2 kWh/m3/year - an energy consumption that is half of that of the UK’s Best Practice industry standard of 20.4 kWh/ m3/year. This translates into a CO2


emissions


reduction of 77 tonnes annually, helping the company cut their energy spend and achieve their long-term vision of reducing their environmental footprint. Claire Cox, Head of Property for Bidfood, said, “Partnering with Star Refrigeration has been instrumental in strengthening our


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commitment to sustainability while improving the effi ciency of our operations across our cold stores. The energy effi ciency achieved at our Glasgow site through the installation of a CO2


refrigeration system far exceeded our


expectations. We appreciate Star’s contribution and are encouraged to continue our joint eff orts towards improved sustainability and operational effi ciency at our facilities in the future.” Star Refrigeration has been a leading force


in the research and development of energy- effi cient and sustainable industrial cooling technology since 1949. Its Bellshill branch, located 20 miles from the Bidfood site, has over 20 years of experience in CO2


cooling,


refrigeration system in central Scotland in 2002. With a team of 20 engineers, management and admin teams, the branch is now set to deliver essential aftercare and continuous support to Bidfood locally.


stretching back to the installation of Star’s fi rst CO2


www.acr-news.com • November 2023 31


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