Natural Refrigerants

The food cold chain is going green!

In this era of short supply chains and e-commerce, players in the retail and food logistics sectors must reinvent their businesses. In stores, the customer experience must be optimized. In terms of supply, the focus should be on prioritizing local logistics by reducing the number of intermediaries. Alongside these changes, they are committed to reducing their carbon footprint, particularly within the cold chain.

Retail: An Industry Adapting to Demand by Modernizing Its Cold Chain and Optimizing Its Energy Efficiency

Among the many changes in the retail sector, the most obvious is the proliferation of distribution channels: stores, online shopping, curbside pickup, and delivery. To support all these channels, retailers are focusing their efforts on creating a unique and “seamless” experience. To achieve this, they rely on an organizational structure that implements the tools, processes, and resources needed to manage and store merchandise. A complex logistics process then takes place, ensuring that orders are shipped to the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantities.

Another shift in consumer habits: customers are seeking fresher and safer products. Consequently, in response to this demand and in an increasingly competitive environment, major retailers are investing in and modernizing their refrigeration systems. This modernization ensures that fresh and frozen products are available to consumers both in stores and in warehouses, while optimizing the energy efficiency of the cold chain.

Although these refrigeration systems are particularly energy-intensive and emit CO2, they are nonetheless essential for ensuring the food safety of fresh and frozen products. So how can energy consumption be optimized while maintaining the integrity of the cold chain? Two approaches are available to players in the retail and food industries: replacing older equipment with more modern, energy-efficient systems or using greener refrigerants.

With natural fluids: cooling goes green!

In France, refrigerants account for 5% of greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2015, these refrigerants have been gradually phased out in favor of greener alternatives to meet environmental standards and commitments. As a result, high-performance technical solutions that use cleaner refrigerants (HFOs or natural refrigerants) are emerging.

Among the various refrigerant gases, there are several categories classified by molecule type, such as:

    • CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
    • HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons)
    • HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons)
    • PFCs (Perfluorocarbons)

EQUANS France supports its retail customers in improving their energy efficiency

EQUANS France, a partner to manufacturers across all industries, designs and develops customized solutions that combine sustainable process performance with energy efficiency.

One example is ILICO2, a solution implemented at Sysco France, a subsidiary of the Sysco Group, which produces and distributes fresh, frozen, and grocery products for the foodservice industry. As part of the expansion of one of its warehouses in the Oise department, Sysco France called on EQUANS France to install a refrigeration system using natural refrigerants. This presented an additional challenge for EQUANS France: maintaining service continuity throughout the duration of the work.

To address this, the technical teams implemented the ILICO2 low-carbon refrigeration solution. The concept? Replace synthetic refrigerants with natural, carbon-free fluids and recover waste heat generated by the refrigeration systems. The solution has reduced the site’s energy consumption and prevented the emission of 1,400 metric tons of CO2 per year.

This is a great example of the solutions offered by EQUANS France to support all players in the retail and food logistics sectors as they evolve their operations.