A sustainability success for a supermarket
A known customer with a known challenge
The major supermarket in this reference case is located east of Swansea in the UK. Here, the retailer is working hard to align with the company's overall sustainability targets, which include a zero carbon goal and an aim to be carbon neutral in 2035. They themselves, are sure that the latter requires good cooperation with suppliers and partners.
The large store had a natural gas boiler which was becoming increasingly expensive to operate and it contributed heavily to the store’s carbon footprint. With the impending F-gas regulations and the retailer company's wider decarbonisation strategy, it was crucial to find a sustainable and future-proof heating solution.
Blog: We share five things worth knowing when decarbonising retail stores
F-gas regulations and sustainability
In late 2023, the European Council and Parliament reached a political agreement to amend and strengthen the legislation that aims to phase down fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases), this because of their high global warming potential (GWP).
F-gases are synthetic and do not occur naturally in the atmosphere. They include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), which are the most common refrigerant varieties used in various industrial applications, such as refrigeration and air conditioning. In our discussions with the customer, a "simple" exchange of the natural gas boiler to any heat pump on the market, was just not an alternative.
Learn more about the F-gas regulation here
A heat pump solution with a natural refrigerant
After fully understanding the need for the store and the market's offerings, the retailer transitioned to an R290 heat pump solution, based on two TITAN Sky, from us at Swegon. Thanks to the natural refrigerant the heat pump can operate with a ultra-low GWP (0.02) while remaining a high efficiency. The solution delivers a peak heating capacity of 277kW and is equipped with advanced control methods for optimal energy use.
The solution was also designed for long-term durability in the coastal environment. We included our ANTC accessory which first chemically pacifies the aluminium air coil fins to reduce corrosion potential, they are then polyurethane coated to add a second layer of protection. This attention to detail makes a solution that will meet the site's heating requirement for many years to come.
Learn more about our TITAN sky
One key benefit - carbon savings equivalent to 2,000 trees (and counting)
There are four clear benefits that make a substantial difference in this case:
- This solution achieved more than a 75% reduction in the total equivalent warming impact.
- Cost savings: the new heat pump solution is more than EUR 2000 cheaper to operate over a six-month period, equating to nearly EUR 50/day in savings.
- Enhanced energy efficiency: the solution achieved an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.54 to-date.
- Sustainability impact: The carbon savings are approximately equivalent to the annual carbon sequestration capacity of ~2,000 trees.
*EUR 2024-09
Remote fine-tuning for further energy reduction
Since installation, the solution has been fine-tuned through multiple optimisation cycles, all remotely managed via our Swegon INSIDE Manager supervision tool. The adjustments made have refined compressor operations and thermoregulation, which has led to additional energy savings and improved temperature stability.
There are still only estimations available, but these optimisations alone seem to be able to deliver an additional 15% reduction in annual energy use. Stay tuned for actual data to come.
Conclusive remarks
The success at this site sets a precedent for future HVAC upgrades across the retailers portfolio as it demonstrates the viability and benefits of sustainable technology.
Looking at this solution from a global perspective, it is important to point out that the significant achievements partly build on the preconditions of this exact store. The natural gas powered boiler and the climate conditions allow for a good business case, other prerequisites in other markets and climate zones can impact on the actual numbers. However, a transition to R290 heat pump technology offers a number of benefits worth to discover and continued monitoring and optimisation is in any case a way forward to maximise energy savings and carbon reductions.
