With rising costs across the board for nearly every type of operation, saving money is often the number one focus for operators. In foodservice, commercial refrigeration can account for 25% of the energy consumed in convenience stores, grocery stores, and restaurants. Refrigeration expenses come with the territory when working in foodservice. Not only is it everywhere, but refrigeration is always on.
You don’t have to accept high energy costs for refrigeration. Here are three ways to spend less on commercial refrigeration and cut down on your energy costs.
Maintenance
The first step in spending less on commercial refrigeration is by ensuring your existing equipment is functioning at its peak performance. Loosely sealed or broken doors on walk-in freezers and coolers can cause irregular temperature changes, forcing refrigeration systems to work harder on maintaining a set temperature and use more energy. Make it a habit to check evaporators and cooling coils periodically and clean them when necessary.
Energy Rebates
A number of states offer a commercial refrigeration rebate program to operators who employ energy-efficient refrigeration equipment in their commercial buildings. This type of program incentivizes saving energy, and when combined with efficient refrigeration equipment, can produce a substantial cost savings for foodservice operations.
Energy-Efficient Refrigeration Equipment
Energy-efficient refrigeration systems that use scroll compressors use less energy than traditional models. The Eco-Cool from RDT uses a digital scroll compressor, that among other things, reduces compressor cycling, which results in a longer life expectancy for refrigeration equipment. By only using two compressors as opposed to twelve, the Eco-Cool reduces energy consumption and cuts energy costs by nearly 50%.