Lowering energy use and increasing energy efficiency are key for reducing carbon emissions and achieving productivity and energy independence. The food storage and distribution is a strategic infrastructure that consumes a lot of energy and has growing demand. A smart choice of technology used in food retail systems could lead to long-term energy savings, functionality, ease of maintenance, and high energy efficiency.

In this work by Politecnico di Milano, the layout of an existing store has been used to model the commercial refrigeration system for three Low GWP refrigerants: R-454C, R-449A, and R-744. Energy consumption and seasonal efficiency have been examined for two locations in Europe, representing mild and hot ambient temperatures. Results show that systems based on ...