Study 46 – Efficient cooling production and use in industry

In France, electricity consumption for industrial cooling accounts for 13 per cent of the total consumption of all systems powered by electric motors.
This cooling contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in two ways:

• Direct environmental impact of refrigeration: leaks of certain refrigerants used in refrigeration systems with a high Global Warming Potential (GWP)
• Indirect energy impact: the energy consumption (primarily electricity) of refrigeration systems (motors, auxiliary equipment).
  

To reduce GHG emissions associated with industrial refrigeration, four main measures can be implemented:

• Improving the energy efficiency of refrigeration systems
• Prioritising refrigerants with a low GWP: current regulations are driving manufacturers to adopt refrigerants with a GWP of less than 150 by 2030 (F-Gas III)
• Deploying high-performance alternative technologies, in particular sorption machines
• Explore other solutions such as cold storage, which helps to reduce peak demand, optimise electricity consumption in line with market prices and ensure a reliable supply of cooling.

In 2021, ALLICE carried out an initial study focusing on sorption machines, assessing their technical and economic viability through case studies in the dairy industry (atomisation tower) and the petrochemical industry (steam cracking), by utilising waste heat.

This study extends this analysis to cover all high-performance refrigeration technologies, including compression-based systems. It also provides an overview of cold storage solutions and the key factors influencing energy efficiency across the various components of an industrial refrigeration system.