Status of energy use and conservation technologies used in fruit and vegetable cooling operations in California. PIER final project report.

Author(s) : UC Davis, CEC, PIER, THOMPSON J., SINGH R. P.

Type of monograph: Report

Summary

Interviews with produce cooling operators and refrigeration equipment installers and analysis of utility bills and production records from 14 cooling operations were used to estimate electricity use for produce cooling in California and identify conservation measures. Peak period electricity demand could be reduced by partial cooling certain items during the peak period and then finishing the cooling after the peak period ends. Based on a limited test, strawberry does not appear to be suited to two-stage cooling, but a number of other produce items are likely to be good candidates for this method. More research is needed to verify the list of fruits and vegetables that can withstand two-stage cooling. The results of this study provide public benefits to California by identifying commercially feasible methods and technologies that can be used by commercial fruit and vegetable cooling operations to reduce their electricity use. The document can be downloaded from: postharvest.ucdavis.edu/datastorefiles/234-1165.pdf.

Details

  • Original title: Status of energy use and conservation technologies used in fruit and vegetable cooling operations in California. PIER final project report.
  • Record ID : 2008-2370
  • Languages: English
  • Publication: California Energy Commission, PIER Program - United states/United states
  • Publication date: 2008/07
  • Source: Source: CEC-400-1999-005; 53 p. (21 x 29.7); fig.; phot.; tabl.; ref.