ET26SWE0017 - Packaged Propane Refrigeration Field Evaluation

Small food service businesses, such as corner stores and neighborhood bars/restaurants, depend heavily on small refrigeration systems to preserve perishable goods. These systems typically hold less than 50 pounds (“50-lbs”) of refrigerant and are currently unregulated by the state. Presently, many of these businesses use synthetic refrigerants with high-global warming potential (“GWP”), posing environmental risks when leaked. With state environmental regulations tightening, these businesses face exclusion from incentives and state programs to support the transition to eco-friendly refrigerants due to equipment size and capital constraints.  

VEIC will complete a field evaluation demonstration project (“Project”) and case study at a small food-service business, located in San Francisco Disadvantaged Communities (“DAC(s)”). The Project will replace the existing refrigeration system and its high-GWP refrigerant with a more efficient system using natural refrigerant with zero (0) or near zero-GWP. Up to two (2) sites will be selected, and up to four (4) refrigeration systems will be installed. The baseline and proposed systems will be metered and their performance analyzed, including data on kilowatt hour (“kWh”) and kilowatt (“kW”) savings, Total System Benefit (“TSB”), Total Resource Costs (“TRC”), and lifetime kWh. VEIC will collaborate with licensed contractors experienced in natural refrigerants, local building officials, and fire department staff to address safety and permitting concerns.  

Additionally, VEIC will develop a commercially available products list for natural refrigerant and ultra-low GWP packaged refrigeration systems and will provide a framework for new measure development in the California electronic Technical Reference Manual (“eTRM”). The data from this Project will provide the foundational inputs for measure characterization, and it will support measure developers by offering metered data, weather-normalized regression models, and documentation necessary to draft, validate, and submit proposals through the California Technical Forum (“Cal TF”) and California Public Utility Commission (“CPUC”) review processes.  

This Project will provide Investor-Owned Utility (“IOU”) program administrators with a roadmap on how to transition small businesses to natural refrigerant systems. In addition, this Project will gather data on the actual costs of transitioning to natural refrigerants, identify solutions to overcome permitting and logistical barriers, and propose best practices for utility program administrators considering similar initiatives.