Bochum, Germany: GEA Refrigeration Technologies has become a member of the energy-conservation project Cool-Save, which was founded as part of European program Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE). The objective of this project is to enhance the energy efficiency of refrigeration in the food and beverage industry.
To achieve this goal, comprehensive analyses of refrigeration facilities of selected food producers have been used to collect current data – which in turn serves as a basis for exemplary and realistically designed measures for enhancement of the efficiency of refrigeration plants. In the same way as the support program Intelligent Energy – Europe, the Cool-Save project is intended to strengthen the competitiveness of sustainable energy technologies with low climate impact.
The purpose is not only to promote technical developments, but also to overcome financial, cultural, and legal barriers to energy savings. A total of nine partner companies from six European-Union countries are participating in Cool-Save.
Cool-Save aims to increase the energy efficiency of refrigeration technology in the food and beverage industry. In specific terms, a goal of 15% savings is being targeted for 25 companies. Future-oriented energy-saving measures are being prepared on the basis of current data and evaluations from all over Europe, without neglecting the financial aspects: Financially, the measures are targeted to achieve a pay back within three years.
GEA Refrigeration Technologies will be responsible for the analysis of five or six refrigeration facilities in the food and beverage industry. It will apply a special simulation model for this purpose.
When the project is completed in about 30 months a guideline will be published and will be designed to be appropriate for all the European climate regions. It is planned to make this guideline accessible to responsible positions in approximately 2,000 companies in the food and beverage business – in order to clearly present the options and measures for improvement of refrigeration system efficiencies. In addition, it is planned to distribute the results of Cool-Save through trade and sector associations.