5-Tips to Improve Energy and Refrigerant Management

<p>By: Marjorie DePuy, Senior Director, Supply Chain and Sustainability, FMI<br />
<img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/light-switch.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=1364bcd4_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="light switch" title="light switch" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /></p>
<p>Recently, we <a href="https://www.fmi.org/blog/view/fmi-blog/2020/10/30/celebrating-food-industry-epa-greenchill-award-winners">recognized FMI member companies</a>&nbsp;<a></a>making a difference with sustainable refrigerant management&nbsp;through the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenchill">EPA&rsquo;s GreenChill</a> program. The public-private partnership offers the food industry a way to implement more refrigerant management. For store operators concerned about implementing costly new systems and procedures, there are many low or no-cost options to tackle energy leakage and manage refrigeration costs.</p>
<h5>Why Make The Change?</h5>
<p>Many food retailers are already committed to energy reduction. FMI&rsquo;s<em> </em><a href="https://www.fmi.org/our-research/research-reports/food-retailing-industry-speaks"><em>2020 The Food Retailing Industry Speaks</em></a> report finds 72% of food retailers now have quantifiable goals for energy use reduction. </p>
<p>Still, the opportunity remains for more of the food industry to commit to energy reduction. Grocery retail chains that are effective in measuring operational sustainability at the store level find that their <a href="http://www.theshelbyreport.com/2016/11/02/hannaford-gsc-program/">actions save between $75,000 to $100,000 per year per store</a>. Even the most well-operated stores still have opportunities to save money or resources, which is more crucial now than ever. According to&nbsp;Energy&nbsp;Star, when a grocery store reduces electrical costs by $1, it is the equivalent to the bottom line of increasing sales by $18, so reducing costs by $15,000 has the same benefit of increasing sales by $270,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h5>Five Simple Energy Management Changes You Can Make</h5>
<p>We&rsquo;ve talked&nbsp;regularly about these topics&nbsp;with<strong><em> </em></strong>industry experts including Catrina Damrell and Peter Cooke,&nbsp;leaders in grocery sustainability who&nbsp;formerly&nbsp;ran the Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC) program&nbsp;at&nbsp;Manomet. Peter is now leading grocery sustainability programs&nbsp;<a href="https://ratioinstitute.org/about-us/">at<strong><em> </em></strong>Ratio Institute</a>, the new home for the GSC.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>They&nbsp;shared five&nbsp;quick, no-cost tips that&nbsp;could&nbsp;generate a cost savings of $15,000 and help make a&nbsp;store more sustainable:&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li>Turn off one heat wrapping machine (or any other appliance usually left on overnight).</li>
<li>Fix one leaky gasket&nbsp;from one&nbsp;walk-in freezer.</li>
<li>Ensure that walk-in and other doors are closed after use.</li>
<li>Turn out the vending machine light&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;break room.</li>
<li>Clear&nbsp;air-curtain&nbsp;vents on open&nbsp;produce,&nbsp;meat,&nbsp;and dairy&nbsp;cases.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are still working on your energy reduction goals, look&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenchill" target="_blank">EPA&rsquo;s&nbsp;GreenChill&nbsp;program</a>&nbsp;and to the many&nbsp;FMI members<strong><em> </em></strong>offering support on energy management.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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