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

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

Type of monograph: Report

Summary

This report has been prepared by the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering of the University of California for the California Energy Commission, Public Interest Energy Research Program (PIER). 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. In 2006, cooling and short-term storage of California's 17.7 million tons fresh market fruits and vegetables consumed 977 million kWh. This represented 5.1% of the total electricity used by agriculture and 0.4% of the state's total consumption. Large electricity savings with minimal investment can be obtained by better utilization of the refrigerated volume in existing facilities. Operators should consolidate product in the fewest number of cold rooms and shut down unneeded storage volume. Energy efficient and cost effective lighting systems are available for refrigerated environments but are rarely used in produce coolers. Operators should be made aware of the benefits of using these new lighting sources and offered incentives and to use them. The report 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 : 2010-0647
  • Languages: English
  • Subject: General information
  • Publication: California Energy Commission, PIER Program - United states/United states
  • Publication date: 2008/07
  • Source: Source: CEC-400-1999-005; 53 p.; fig.; photogr.; tabl.; ref.

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