Carrier Commercial Refrigeration has moved to the next phase of its three-year agreement with major wholesaler, METRO AG, which is deploying new natural refrigerant equipment to its stores across Europe to help the company achieve carbon-neutral operations.
“By working closely with customers such as the METRO, we can deliver innovative solutions that are effective, efficient and environmentally responsible,” said David Appel, President, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration. “These actions are consistent with our strategy as Carrier’s ambitious ESG goals aim to help decrease our customers’ carbon footprint one gigaton by 2030.”
As part of METRO’s F-Gas Exit Programme (FEP), which aims to eradicate the use of F-Gas from its 671 stores, new highly energy efficient remote cabinets and cold room units featuring Carrier Commercial Refrigeration’s high-efficiency CO2OLtec® Evo system are being installed.
“Our commitment is to become carbon neutral in our own global operations by 2040, and through our ongoing collaboration with Carrier, we will be able to accelerate our move away from F-Gas,” said Olaf Schulze, Director, Energy Management and Real Estate Sustainability, METRO PROPERTIES. “In line with our sustainability targets, the new systems will continue to help us reduce refrigerant loss, lower our electricity demands and ensure substantial carbon footprint savings across the business.”
METRO and Carrier Commercial Refrigeration have been working closely over the past two years to develop a standardised concept for the new cabinets and cold room systems, ensuring they deliver an efficient and cost-effective solution to each store. Since February 2020, 32 projects have been completed, with the installation process for more than 50 new systems across Europe taking place over the next two years. Most recently, the METRO Belgium sites in Liège and Hasselt were renovated, and the Wevelgem store is set to undergo work this year.
“In the old stores we had fully cooled rooms,” said Janus van Aart, Construction Manager, METRO Belgium. “The refrigerated products are now placed in closed refrigerated cabinets. This reduces total energy consumption while keeping the store temperature higher, making it more pleasant for the customers. Having accurate temperature control of the refrigerated cabinets is vitally important. Now, we have up-to-date access to the status of each piece of furniture and its evaporator, allowing us to respond more accurately if we’re notified of any anomalies.”
To maintain optimum performance, a full service contract is included in the agreement, with regular inspections and maintenance, alongside breakdown repair and spare parts supply included in the deal. METRO also benefits from the company’s eSolutions service platform, which captures information around the clock from every connected store, tracking data on food safety, operational performance and energy consumption. Carrier’s 24/7 remote monitoring centre helps ensure all equipment remains under constant surveillance, allowing the business to focus on its core activities.
On the equipment side, the CO2OLtec Evo system uses carbon dioxide, a climate neutral, natural refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential of 1 and an Ozone Depletion Potential of zero, meaning it is not subject to EU F-Gas Regulations. The system incorporates Carrier's innovative modulating vapour ejector; a component that increases efficiency, while continuously and smoothly adapting to any changes in surrounding operating conditions. The solution helps contribute to Carrier's goal of reducing its customers' carbon footprint by one gigaton as part of its 2030 Environmental, Social and Governance goals.
