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Energy usage statistics and saving potential in ice rinks.

Author(s) : ROGSTAM J.

Summary

Ice rinks use considerable amounts of energy on an annual basis. Swedish statistics show that the average annual energy usage in about 1185 MWh, which is comparable with available statistics from Canada and Finland. The refrigeration system accounts for 35 to 75% of the total energy usage in ice rinks, hence this area represents a considerable potential for energy saving. When comparing energy usage in ice rinks it is of outmost importance to compare similar arenas with similar conditions. A common mistake is to look at annual energy usage in absolute terms. Arenas may look very different and the usage pattern may vary considerably. No the least the length of the season is very different. In Sweden, the typical season ranges from 6 to 10 months with an average length of about 8 months with a clear trend towards longer seasons. The numbers of all year open, or at least in operation, arenas are increasing. Thus, to compare energy and not taking the length of the season into account is of limited value. In this report, the key figure Specific energy usage is introduced as a way to normalise the total energy usage for comparison purposes. For most arenas, the ice surface is the main driver for the energy usage. Multipurpose arenas and such are not considered in this comparison since the building becomes too dominating. For a relevant selection of arenas it can be seen that the specific energy usage ranges from 1.5 to 4 with an average of about 2.2 kWh/day.m2. The monitoring and interest for ice rink energy usage have been very poor but a growing interest trend can be seen. Based on data from the field and this statistical evaluation a number of potential measures can be identified. A few measures are discussed in this report such as capacity control of motors, choice of secondary refrigerant, etc.

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Details

  • Original title: Energy usage statistics and saving potential in ice rinks.
  • Record ID : 2011-0352
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: Figures, economy
  • Source: IIR/Eurotherm sustainable refrigeration and heat pump technology conference. Proceedings of the Eurotherm Seminar No. 88, Stockholm, Sweden, June 13-16, 2010.
  • Publication date: 2010/06/13

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