Replacing Inefficient Fridges to Reduce Energy Usage

About Croots Farm Shop

Croots Farm Shop is an award-winning family run business in Derbyshire, offering locally produced beef, poultry and free-range pork, home-produced lamb, and other homemade produce.

Why did they engage with DE-Carbonise

The DE-Carbonise team was brought in to help the company evaluate options to replace the fridges. With different suppliers making different claims about the efficiency of their fridges, it was difficult for the company to decide about the replacement of their fridges.

The DE-Carbonise team suggested using the government’s Energy Technology List as a benchmark – as it guarantees an independent assessment of the energy-saving claims made by manufacturers, with products typically being in the 25% efficiency bracket.

What has been the impact of working with DE-Carbonise?

Having evaluated three quotes from different suppliers and advertised for tenders, Croots Farm Shop chose products on the Energy Technology List. These were ‘remote’ units meaning that waste heat is emitted outside the building rather than inside. All but the fresh produce fridges have doors.

Calculating savings from refrigeration is not easy, as the performance is influenced by the temperature in the room as well as by how often doors are opened. However, the team estimated that carbon savings would be 6.8 tonnes per year, and that the use of the air conditioning would also be reduced.

As soon as the new fridges were installed, the company noticed that the shop was not over-heating and were able to switch off the air conditioning.

Impact data

Annual Energy Saving (kWh): 24,584
Annual Carbon saving (KgCO2e): 6,817
Annual Cost Saving: £3,747
Value of Grant: £12,028.00

Croots has also installed LED lighting in the café and at the back of house, and a new LED lighting system for the farm shop which will not only be more environmentally friendly but is also designed to showcase and highlight Croot’s fresh foods offering.

The measures earned Croots a place as a finalist in the Environmental Heroes category of the Derbyshire Live Heroes Awards 2020.

About DE-Carbonise

DE-Carbonise is a three year collaboration between the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council, which started in November 2019. The collaboration is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and follows on from the successful D2 Energy Efficiency/Low Carbon project.

Get in contact with us

To find out about current support available for your business in reducing your environmental impact, or your journey to net-zero. Please get in contact with our business gateway team.

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