The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has recently released a step-by-step methodology for refrigerator manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of their products and forecast the net benefits and costs associated with those improvements.
The methodology is targeted at manufacturers of domestic and commercial refrigerators in emerging economies — which stand to gain the most from making these improvements, according to the research conducted for the project.
In a brochure available on UNIDO’s website, the five main steps are outlined.
Brochure_202007161. “Check your potential energy efficiency gains”
The first step involves estimating your company’s “Manufacturer Development Index” value. This value is used to evaluate typical incremental capital and operating costs associated with different energy efficiency upgrades.
2. “Download the tool”
The second step involves downloading the free Commercial EPA Refrigeration Analysis (CERA) software tool. CERA uses available data to run simulations and calculate net benefits and costs for different product changes and upgrades.
The software is available free for download on UNIDO’s GitHub page.
3. “Learn how to gain net benefits”
Once CERA is downloaded, manufacturers can then perform the associated technical and financial evaluations for different product designs using the software.
4. “Make the simulation”
Once step three is complete, manufacturers then collect data from within their company (cabinet design dimensions, system controls, sealed system design information, etc.) to run simulations within the software.
The results will show a “visual modelling of the changes in components” and “the benefit in energy efficiency and the cost involved in doing so”.
5. “Assess the benefits of change”
Finally, these results can be downloaded in order to “provide a solid and accurate basis for discussions within the manufacturer company, between its engineers, strategic leaders, marketers, production and financial units, and the management.”
Full Webinar
A webinar showing a live demonstration how to use the CERA software was held on July 22. See the full recording on Youtube here.
The webinar featured Dr. Omar Abdelaziz, Assistant Professor of Thermofluids at Zewail City of Science and Technology as the main speaker. During the introduction, Dr. Iino Fukuya, Department of Environment – UNIDO, said “I truly hope [these green refrigeration design tools and cost guidelines] encourage the manufacturing companies who are participating in this webinar to take practical energy efficiency actions in emerging economies.”
I truly hope [these green refrigeration design tools and cost guidelines] encourage the manufacturing companies who are participating in this webinar to take practical energy efficiency actions in emerging economies.
Dr. Iino Fukuya, Department of Environment – UNIDO, Webinar on the K-CEP Refrigerator Manufacturing Cost Guidelines, July 22, 2020
Major sections of the webinar and their associated timestamps in the recording are below:
1:42 Introduction by Dr. Iino Fukuya, Department of Environment – UNIDO
4:14 Webinar start by main speaker Dr. Omar Abdelaziz, Assistant Professor of Thermofluids at Zewail City of Science and Technology, Egypt
13:14 Impact of Manufacturer Development Index on Net-Benefit of Energy Efficiency Versus Cost
16:00 Refrigerant Choice for Domestic and Commercial Refrigerators
18:47 Component and Design Choices (Cabinet, Sealed System, Controls, etc.)
23:37 Introduction to CERA modeling tool
26:07 Manufacturer Steps Using CERA to Build a Cost Efficiency Model
29:58 CERA Live Demonstration
49:48 Simulation Results for Example Manufacturers
56:18 Emissions Reduction Calculations
59:52 Market Barriers
1:05:05 Where to Download Resources – How to Get Further Assistance
1:05:44 Q&A
