International. Renewing a supermarket's refrigeration equipment can save up to 30% energy. It is an example of the path taken by cold companies to increase efficiency and reduce emissions on three fronts: design and manufacturing, data maintenance and measurement, and the use of refrigerants. Manuel Lamúa, Manager of AEFYT, analyzes all the advances that are being made.
Refrigeration equipment in a supermarket
The European Commission has recognised the advances of the cold sector in terms of energy efficiency and emission reduction, an issue in which refrigeration is doing its homework with good note. But how is he doing it? Manuel Lamúa, Manager of the Association of Cold Companies and their Technologies (AEFYT), indicates that the increase in levels of energy efficiency and reduction of emissions in refrigeration facilities can be approached from different angles related to each other.
First, "the design and manufacture of the facility, which takes into account the basic fundamentals of sustainability, such as insulation, eco-design or the use of refrigerants with low Global Warming Potential". Secondly, "the maintenance and measurement of data with the latest artificial intelligence technologies, where emphasis is placed on issues such as the detection of refrigerant gas leaks or possible temperature deviations to have a quick reaction to solve the problem". And thirdly, refrigerants.
According to Lamúa, these elements together constitute some of the foundations of energy efficiency in the cold sector. And he adds that, "likewise, scales such as the COP (Energy Efficiency Coefficient), the EER (Energy Efficiency in the Refrigeration Cycle) and the SEI (System Efficiency Index) are increasingly relevant when evaluating the installation of a refrigeration system".
Refrigerant gases
In reference to the migration towards low or no GWP refrigerant gases, the cold sector is in compliance with the objectives set by the F-Gas Regulation and, at present, the market already has available a wide range of refrigerants suitable for the different needs of cold users: from natural refrigerants to low GWP HFC mixtures, passing through A2L refrigerants, slightly flammable. "In this field, the industry has made an effort against the clock to adapt and provide solutions that have contributed radically to the environmental sustainability of refrigeration facilities."
It should be borne in mind that, in the near future, not only the GWP of the refrigerant gases will be assessed, but also the TEWI of the installation, its sustainability and life cycle. "The latter can be extended to the entire refrigeration facility, whose impact must be considered from the moment it begins to operate, until it is dismantled by applying concepts of reuse and recycling."
Sectors benefited
In addition, the Manager of AEFYT highlights that the advances in energy efficiency of the cold industry not only benefit or impact on refrigeration companies, but also have a very important impact on the achievement of the environmental objectives of companies using cold, such as those working in the horeca sector, food or tourism.
For example, "it is estimated that the renovation of refrigeration equipment in a supermarket can mean energy savings of up to 30%. If we think that the cold industry has a socio-economic value that impacts more than 50% of GDP in Spain through tractor sectors of the economy such as horeca, food, telecommunications, health, etc. that need refrigeration and air conditioning to function, we can imagine everything that this industry can contribute to the decarbonization of Spain. "
Source: Climatización & Refrigeración Fair – Ifema.
