Chile. Four representatives of the largest salmon, pork and chicken producer in Chile, a representative of the Chilean Chamber of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (CChRyC) and staff of the Chilean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CAMCHAL) traveled to Germany within the framework of the pilot project "Konsortialbildung" (Creation of Consortium) that is part of the " Export Initiative" of the BMWi (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie - German Ministry of Economy and Energy).
With the participation of 16 companies providing technology and consulting for refrigeration systems, the information event was held in Berlin, Germany, organized within the framework of the pilot project "Konsortialbildung". This aims to create a consortium made up of German companies to offer an integrated solution closing a technological gap in the Chilean industry.
In this specific case, CAMCHAL prepared in a first step a study on the "Energy Optimization of Cold Systems in the Agri-Food Sector", a topic that had been identified as a great technological challenge in agribusiness. The Chilean agri-food sector contains many subsectors with a high demand for cold, such as the production of meat/salmon, frozen, fruit and wine. The high electricity consumption required by these systems to operate has become an important factor in the cost matrix of productive companies and solutions are being sought to lower energy consumption in order to obtain a more sustainable food production.
"CAMCHAL's request to the CChRyC, to support the kick off of the "Konsortialbildung" project in Berlin, coincided very positively with the historical moment in which we are working in the Chamber in support of the needs of the guild and especially the associates. Today, among our main activities, is the search for technological solutions that allow us to have more efficient, safe and sustainable energy systems. In the interest of both parties, we expect good achievements with the objectives set," says Peter Yufer who also leads the Chamber's industrial refrigeration area with natural refrigerants.
Iris Wunderlich, Project Manager Smart Energy Concepts at CAMCHAL, who accompanied the trip to Germany explains: "The challenge of this project is now in the creation of the consortium. That the supplier companies come together to form a group that together manages to close the technological gaps defined by the client".
