RACA Journal May 2020 | Page 14

International News DEFRA UK As part of a UK Department of Food and Rural Affairs Programme identifying reductions in energy inputs to the food industry, a trial was undertaken to assess the impact of applying low cost maintenance measures to commercial fridges at the University of Bristol Langfood Canteen. The canteen provides 200 to 300 meals per day. One large upright fridge consumed 40% of the canteens cooling load. Inspection of the fridge showed it had a dirty condenser which when cleaned delivered an 8% energy efficiency saving. The fridge was also found to have too low a temperature set point which was raised from -21ºC to -16ºC, giving an additional 11% energy efficiency saving. Together these two measures delivered a 19% energy reduction. THE CARBON TRUST The Carbon Trust, the UK Institute of Refrigeration and the British Retail Association worked together to propose a set of monitoring, maintenance and technology optimisation measures that when applied could significantly reduce emissions from retail refrigeration equipment. A basket of monitoring, optimisation and maintenance measures could 12 RACA Journal I May 2020 improve energy efficiency by 20 to 30% (e.g. training, cleaning and maintenance, re-commissioning, set-point temperature, store temperature). Additional technologies could significantly increase these savings. RACA REFERENCES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Green Cooling Initiative Carbon Trust International Institute of Refrigeration IEA Clean Energy Ministerial US Environmental Protection Agency ASHRAE Journal University of Bristol The Carbon Trust put together this brief for K-CEP with assistance from the International Institute of Refrigeration and ASHRAE. We would welcome any feedback on calculating the emissions reduction potential of better optimisation, monitoring, and maintenance and on better understanding the landscape of optimisation, monitoring, and maintenance more generally. www.hvacronline.co.za