International. With the opening of 'Smart Store', the Danish multinational presented its new concept of food retail store, based on the rational use of energy, respect for the environment and the use of automation solutions.
Located in the city of Nordborg, Denmark, the new retail space was designed to be 50% more energy efficient, compared to a supermarket that has a first-generation CO2 refrigeration system, in which no energy efficiency solutions have been implemented. Additionally, Danfoss reported that 'Smart Store' would enable a 20% to 30% increase in efficiency, compared to an equivalent local store, equipped with multiple solutions for efficient energy use.
Jürgen Fischer, President of Danfoss Climate Solutions, comments: "We reinvented food stores by combining state-of-the-art technology with energy-efficient sales solutions for the first time. This is just the beginning, as the new supermarket will also serve as a site to test new technologies in real time. We hope to motivate retailers to move towards zero-emission supermarkets, while making better economic benefits."
How does 'Smart Store' work?
- Solar energy is the main source of energy for the supermarket, thanks to the 100-kilowatt solar panels installed on the roof of the building.
- The installation of doors in refrigerators and freezers will reduce energy expenditure by up to a third.
- LED lighting requires up to 85% less electricity than incandescent bulbs.
- The automation and monitoring of the 'Smart Store' adds another layer of energy savings.
The potential of heat recovery
The 'Smart Store' has state-of-the-art equipment designed to recover waste heat from all refrigeration systems. The recovered heat is reused to heat the store and produce hot water, while the surplus is shared with neighboring households, via the district's power grid. Excess heat is considered the world's largest untapped energy source and, as such, its capture and reuse are key to improving supermarket energy efficiency, enabling an expected reduction of up to 90% in heating costs.
On return on investment
Food loss is a growing global problem and there is increasing pressure on the energy market, both in energy demand and costs, to mitigate it. The magnitude of this phenomenon is such that it has been said that if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest global emitter of greenhouse gases (with 10% of the total) only behind the US and China.
In such a context, supermarkets and food stores appear as large consumers of energy. One of the consequences of the above is that the average profit margin for a food retailer is only 1.7%, which puts all operating costs under scrutiny.
Energy is an area where significant savings can be achieved with relatively low investment and good payback times. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that every U.S. dollar saved in energy equates to an increase in sales of $59.
The wide range of new solutions implemented in the 'Smart Store' demonstrates that significant savings can be achieved in supermarkets, with an average recovery time of 3 to 4 years. "This supermarket is designed specifically for the world ahead: a world with larger populations, higher energy demands and a growing need for refrigeration and efficient food storage," said the President of Danfoss Climate Solutions.
