Retail fridge energy use could be reduced by 67.5%

UK: The energy consumption of retail refrigeration equipment could be reduced by 67.5% with relatively inexpensive measures like system optimisations and improved maintenance, according to a new report.

The latest Guidance for Owners and Operators of Commercial Refrigeration, produced under the Transport Industrial and Commercial Refrigeration (TICR) Project finds “significant opportunities” for reducing energy use and emissions.

Led by the London South Bank University and the Institute of Refrigeration, the guide assumes that if the food retail sector grows in line with the expected 14% UK population growth from 2023 to 2050, energy consumption for retail refrigeration would grow 20% from 3.28 to 3.96TWh during the period. GHG emissions would also grow in that time by 16% from 2.31 to 2.67MtCO2e. 

The guide estimates that if operation is optimised and the best available cabinets are used, energy consumption could be reduced by 67.5% compared to a business-as-usual scenario for 2050. A wider uptake of PV and waste heat recovery by supermarkets could also help to alleviate pressure on the grid and free-up renewable energy capacity. 

Scope 1 emissions are still seen as significant in retail refrigeration, corresponding to approximately 68% of total emissions for the sector in 2023. By transitioning to ultra-low GWP alternatives as retailers comply with updated F-gas regulations, the retail sector could reduce Scope 1 emissions by more than 99%. 

The guide recommends a number of steps to be taken that do not have to require significant financial investments or substantial legislative changes.

It claims that retail refrigeration systems are generally not maintained for efficiency, and maintenance regimes focus only on operational reliability. 

Outcomes from 10 site surveys that were carried out as part of the TICR project found several issues related to poor maintenance affecting energy efficiency, lack of appropriate monitoring and controls, as well as the use of inefficient technologies.

The 10 retail sites visited were selected to represent typical equipment and operating conditions, being broadly divided based on their size and dominant temperature level. (Detailed results from the site surveys can be found in the TICR Technical appendix B)

Common problems observed include operating with higher condensing temperatures than required, as well as signs of fouling at condensers/gas coolers (dirt build-up). Sub-metering was only observed in two sites, and no smart monitoring/controls (eg weather-related head-pressure control) were found in any of the sites. 

The display cabinets were also found to be sub-optimal from an efficiency perspective, with only five sites having doors installed in their chilled cabinets. Overall, the surveys highlight significant opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in retail refrigeration through improved cabinet design, maintenance, refrigerant choice, and system monitoring. 

Replacing existing cabinets with the best available in the market had the potential achieve a sector-wide energy saving of approximately 65%, the report finds. 

With the UK government yet to publish its intentions in a revision of the F-gas regulations, most retailers have already set climate neutrality targets as early as 2035 with a heavy reliance on “natural” refrigerants for retail applications. As a result, the report projects a 99% reduction in Scope 1 emissions by 2050 for the retail sector.

Guidance for Owners and Operators of Commercial Refrigeration