Opportunities for Refrigeration Cost Savings
Replacing or buying refrigeration equipment is a great opportunity to:
- Reduce energy costs
- Enhance equipment reliability
- Improve your bottom line
Download the Opportunities for Refrigeration Cost Savings fact sheet.
Consult your refrigeration contractor to choose the best energy-saving opportunities.
Door/Frame Heater Controls
Most cooler and freezer doors/frames have heaters to prevent condensation and they run continuously all year. Humidity-based door/frame heater controls limit operation of door/frame heaters to periods of high relative humidity. These can save $65-$85 per cooler door and $140-$180 per freezer door per year.
Zero Energy Doors
Zero energy doors have a high insulation value, eliminating the need for door/frame heaters. They are typically installed during new construction or major renovations.
Outside Air Economizers
Outside air economizers reduce refrigeration system run-time by introducing outside air into the walk-in cooler when outside temperatures fall below the refrigerated box temperature. This controller can be installed on most existing and new coolers, and can include an evaporator fan and/or door/frame heater control.
New Compressors
Both discus and scroll compressors use less energy than standard compressors, and can last up to one third longer. Consider these when replacing or buying a new compressor.
Defrost Controllers For Freezers
Defrost controllers eliminate unnecessary defrost cycles by sensing the need for actual defrost rather than using scheduled timing for defrost cycles. Contact Efficiency Vermont for details.
High Efficiency Evaporator Fan Motors
Ask your contractor about EC motors instead of conventional motors. Each new motor (even with no controls) can save $30 to $35 per year. These can be installed in new or existing coolers.
Tips for More Savings
Display Case Covers
Cover refrigerated cases and freezers to reduce mixing of refrigerated air with warm room air.
Floating-Head Pressure Controls
Refrigeration systems are designed for the hottest, most humid days. Floating-head pressure controls allow systems to operate more efficiently during more typical, cooler conditions.
Evaporator Fan Motor Controls
These controls turn off a portion of your evaporator fans when the compressor is not running, saving a significant amount of energy. It can be included in an economizer and/or door/frame heater control package.
Lighting
Lighting equipment inside coolers adds heat. Where lighting operates for hours at a time, replacing T12 fluorescent lighting with High-Performance T8 (HPT8) fluorescent lighting or LED lighting can reduce heat gain and refrigeration demands, thus saving electricity.
Contact Efficiency Vermont for details.