Spalding cold store cuts energy consumption by 48%

Founded by Josiah Sims in 1896, J.O.Sims are the No1 supplier of cranberry and wild blueberry
ingredients in the UK and provide packing, handling, storage and distribution services from its
site in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Throughout their history J.O.Sims have adopted a long term approach.
This extends to environmental issues where reducing their carbon
footprint is seen as a clear priority.
With 80% of site energy being consumed by refrigeration this was a
clear priority for attention. Sims approached Excalibur who surveyed
the site and produced a report which projected that the efficiency of
the coldstore refrigeration systems could be improved by 40%.
Excalibur recommended the installation of Liquid Pressure Amplification
and inverter speed control of the condenser fans. This would allow
efficient low head pressure operation, increasing refrigeration capacity
while reducing compressor energy consumption.
Excalibur were able to apply for a Carbon Trust interest-free loan on
behalf of J.O. Sims, with repayments being made from reduced energy
costs.
A pilot installation was undertaken by Excalibur to 1 of 4 refrigeration
packs. The effect of the modifications could be seen immediately.
Improvements in refrigeration efficiency allowed coldstore
temperatures to be recovered more quickly, while energy consumption
dropped by 48% – an annual cost reduction of £10,000 and 79 fewer
tonnes of carbon emitted every year.
Following the success of the pilot, the remaining systems have been
modified with similar results. Energy consumption has been reduced
by over 40% which represents an annual reduction in electrical
consumption of 500,000kWh and 270 fewer tonnes of carbon emitted.