Straus Family Creamery is set to pioneer the use of 100% electric heat pump refrigeration in the commercial cold storage sector. This new technology aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, save costs, and enhance defrost controls. The project, funded by the California Energy Commission, involves multiple partners: Alter Engineers, Avida Energy, DMG North, Flow Environmental Systems, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ProspectSV, and Straus Family Creamery.
Starting in September 2024, the team will install Flow Environmental Systems’ ANSWR CO2 Heat Pump system at Straus Family Creamery’s dairy manufacturing facility in Rohnert Park, CA. The project will span two and a half years, demonstrating the system's capabilities in cooling, freezing, chilling, and heating at multiple cold storage sites used for the Creamery’s organic dairy products.
The ANSWR system, a 100% electric advanced heat pump, offers simultaneous heating and cooling with a single power feed. It uses safe and efficient CO2 refrigerants, replacing fossil fuels and synthetic options. The technology reclaims heat from the refrigeration cycle for defrosting with minimal energy use. Although heat pumps are common in residential settings, this marks their first industrial-scale application.
“Efficiency and carbon footprint reduction is at the core of Flow’s innovative heat pump design,” said Sean Jarvie, Chief Technology Officer at Flow. “Straus Family Creamery’s use of ANSWR for multiple heating and cooling processes maximizes efficiency and reduces peak demand, benefiting costs, grid congestion, and the environment.”
Joseph Button, VP of Sustainability & Strategic Impact at Straus Family Creamery, shared the excitement: “This project will drive operational efficiency and climate impact reductions at the Creamery. We are thrilled to advance this important climate solution through partnership, demonstration, and shared learning.”
This initiative highlights Straus Family Creamery’s commitment to a climate-positive future through industrial decarbonization. It promotes the rapid adoption of innovative heat pumps, addressing carbon and peak load challenges in California’s industrial refrigeration sector. Design resources from the project will be shared with industry professionals, enhancing the rollout of efficient and flexible solutions in commercial facilities.
