(Credit: Pixabay)A grocery store in France has installed a commercial refrigeration application to help it stay ahead of European Union regulations as the food industry looks for sustainable ways to keep products cold.
An E. Leclerc storefront in Moissac, France, is using a refrigerant from Honeywell for cold room storage. The application of the low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant, which was recommended to the store by Climalife Dehon, will allow the retailer to remain compliant with the EU’s Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas Regulation as well as help with sustainability goals.
Honeywell says it has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and new capacity for its Solstice technology, and anticipated the need for GWP systems a decade ago. The product helps lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency in refrigeration. It includes refrigerants for supermarkets, air conditioning for vehicles, blowing agents for insulation, and solvents for cleaning solutions.
According to Climate-Friendly Supermarkets, adopting low-GWP technologies can avoid 20.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in the United States. A 50% reduction in average refrigerant GWP can reduce yearly emissions in the United States by 22.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
The EU’s Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas Regulation has a goal to cut the fluorinated gases on the continent by two-thirds based on 2014 levels by 2030. The EU says that as a result of the regulations, emissions from the gas have fallen every year since 2015. Through the overall effort, emissions reductions of 1.5 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent are expected through 2030 and 5 gigatons through 2030.
There is also the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol that has been ratified by 129 countries, including the US, to limit hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants. A technology that many in the supermarket industry are beginning to use is more sustainable carbon dioxide refrigerants.
Supermarket chain Meijer says it has tackled refrigeration leaks with improved refrigeration technology at 250 stores. It also participates in the EPA’s GreenChill program in which stores must use EPA-approved refrigerants. More than 1,100 food retailers have been involved with the program through 2021.
Additionally, refrigeration control systems, such as one by Ndustrial, have helped improve cold storage facilities. It automatically tracks high energy demand and helps facilities adjust. An app by the UK’s Star Refrigeration can also track energy use across multiple cold storage facilities to help them make efficient adjustments.
Honeywell says its Solstice technology has helped avoid the equivalent of more than 295 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The company says the application used in France can provide other benefits such as keeping refrigeration systems working during high temperatures.
“We intended to find an alternative refrigerant with high performance that is compatible with our existing infrastructure and keeps us in compliance with the recent legislation put in place,” says Régis Plet, technical manager for E.Leclerc in Moissac.
