REFRIGERANTS Energy efficiency in mind
An ‘energy efficiency first’ mindset helps drive a supermarket’s sustainability improvements says Jean De Bernardi, technical team lead, Honeywell Advanced Materials.
S
upermarket owners and operators are facing critical decisions as they work to address increased regulatory demands to reduce carbon
emissions and reduce the energy consumption of their stores. Amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and grocery price inflation in the UK rising to a record high in January 2023, supermarkets now more than ever are competing to keep prices low for customers, and one key area that can help stores save is by keeping energy costs down.
As part of this, retailers are having to evaluate all aspects of their operations such as their refrigeration systems. This includes the environmental and financial impact of the refrigerant that enables those systems: OpEx (operational expenditure) and CapEx (capital expenditure). Many refrigeration system managers believe sustainability improvements start with replacing the higher-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants widely used today with lower-GWP options. While this
24 March 2023 •
www.acr-news.com
is one important factor, certain low-GWP refrigerants on the market can also offer energy-efficiency improvements that help make an even bigger impact towards a supermarket’s sustainability goals, while supporting significant cost savings. Hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerants allow for low
direct emissions with their lower GWPs and they also enable low indirect emissions by allowing system architectures with higher energy-efficiencies. Reducing energy consumption and operating costs, as well as avoiding downtime, are critical to a supermarket’s bottom line. Having an ‘energy efficiency first’ mindset when selecting a refrigerant can support these efforts.
An eco-efficiency approach On average, it is estimated that supermarket fridges consume around 1% of the UK’s electricity, which is the equivalent of powering 800,000 homes. Additionally, a study backed by the Department of Environment,
Download the ACR News app today
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 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
