CHILE: Beijer Ref’s Italian manufacturing subsidiary SCM Frigo has supplied the equipment for Chile’s first ever transcritical CO2 supermarket refrigeration system.
The 5,300m² Jumbo store in Chile’s southern city of Valdivia, which opened its doors on January 12, has become a showcase for sustainability. In addition to the incorporation of Chile’s first transcritical CO2 system, the store uses LED lighting throughout and includes a BMS systems for the intelligent control of all building system.
The project was implemented by the Ministry of Environment’s Ozone Unit and was funded by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The 2 SCM Frigo units, are designed for a total capacity of almost 400kW for medium temperature refrigeration and 100kW for the low-temperature requirement. They serve a total of 115 MT/LT cabinets and 30 cold rooms.
Hailing the installation as an opportunity to promote the technology in the country, Claudia Paratori, coordinator of the Ozone Unit said: “This project will connect the different actors in the cold chain supermarket sector and promote the adoption of this technology and help minimize the introduction of HFC based systems in Chile.”
The project aims to highlight ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and introduce environmentally friendly technology. It also has economic benefits with approximately 20% in energy savings.
“After the adoption of the Kigali Amendment and the entry into force of the Paris agreement, nations and the industry must move quickly to seize the immediate opportunities at hand to avoid the growth of HFCs and realise energy efficiency gains of technology change in the refrigeration sector,” added Jacques Van Engel, director of the Montreal Protocol/Chemicals Unit, UNDP.
“Since sustainability is our challenge, we are proud to be part of this team contributing to the goal,” said SCM Frigo managing director Nicola Pignatelli.
Established in 1979, SCM Frigo became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Beijer Ref in 2014.
