Reach-in refrigerators and freezers are upright, refrigerated cases with solid or transparent doors. These systems include standard reach-in (with doors on one side), roll-in (the bottom is level with the outside floor, permitting wheeled carts to be rolled in), pass-through (with doors on opposite sides), and roll-through (combination of roll-in and pass-through) cabinet types. Beverage merchandisers are a special type of reach-in with glass doors and sometimes glass sides to permit customers to see beverages for sale. Beverage merchandisers also generally have a fluorescent lighting system to illuminate logos and contents.

About 80 percent of the electricity for reach-in refrigerators and freezers is consumed by the refrigeration system (compressor, evaporator fans, and condenser fan), while the remainder is used for the defrost system. Arthur D. Little found that the energy use of reach-in refrigerators and freezers can be reduced by approximately 45% using measures with an average simple payback of just over 2 years [Arthur D. Little. 1996. Energy Savings Potential for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment. Cambridge, Ma.: Arthur D. Little].

• Programs to Promote Energy Efficiency in Reach-Ins
• New Product Developments
• Federal Minimum-Efficiency Standards on the Horizon

Programs to Promote Energy Efficiency in Reach-Ins

• California Energy Commission: In the 1980s, the California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted regulations requiring manufacturers who sell commercial refrigerators and freezers in California to provide energy performance and other basic information to the commission (based on ASHRAE test procedures). CEC recently updated its regulations in order to refine coverage and requirements and close a few loopholes. Its database provides a fairly good foundation for setting specifications on most reach-in products. CEC also recently amended its appliance efficiency regulations to include minimum-efficiency standards for commercial food service refrigerators. The CEC standard levels listed in the table below are based on an analysis of the CEC database by ACEEE. The CEC standard has two tiers — the first became effective in February 2003, and the second took effect in August 2004. Tier 1 is approximately the 25th percentile (25% of models do not meet the standard) and Tier 2 is approximately the 50th percentile of models on the market. The table below illustrates the efficiency distribution of products in the CEC database and the two CEC standard levels as well as the ENERGY STAR specification.

• ENERGY STAR: In September 2001, EPA initiated an ENERGY STAR program for reach-in refrigerators and freezers. The EPA specification (shown in the table below) is based on an analysis of the CEC database and is designed to differentiate the most efficient quartile of products. As such, it is more stringent than the CEC minimum-efficiency standards. Relative to the average unit in the CEC database, an ENERGY STAR unit will reduce electricity use by about 25% for refrigerators and 10 percent of freezers. Incremental costs for the more efficient units vary widely, but typically range from 0 to 10 percent (Nadel 2002). Click here for a list of ENERGY STAR-qualifying reach-in refrigerators and freezers.

• Consortium for Energy Efficiency: CEE has launched a two-tier specification for solid-door reach-in refrigerators and freezers, based on analysis of the EPA database of ENERGY STAR models. CEE’s Tier 1 is identical to the ENERGY STAR specification. CEE’s Tier 2 is based on the most efficient models now on the market. The intent of Tier 2 is to encourage additional manufacturers to produce these very efficient models. The CEE specifications are shown in the table below. Relative to the average unit in the CEC database, an ENERGY STAR unit will reduce electricity use by 30 percent for refrigerators and 40 percent for freezers, relative to ENERGY STAR. Incremental costs for the more efficient units vary widely, but typically range from 0 - 10 percent (Nadel 2002). Click for a list of qualifying reach-in refrigerators and qualifying reach-in freezers that meet CEE Tier 2.
  
  

Utilities and other program implementers are beginning to explore promotion and incentive programs for ENERGY STAR reach-in units. Check the Consortium for Energy Efficiency's initiative on High-Efficiency Commercial Reach-In, Solid-Door Refrigerators and Freezers.

New Product Developments

Recently, one manufacturer, Delfield, with assistance from DOE and Arthur D. Little, developed the Vantage 6000 series reach-in refrigerators, which yield up to 68% energy savings relative to comparable prior Delfield models. According to Delfield, the more efficient models cost less to produce than the baseline models due to production cost savings from improved design. The new series uses a new cabinet design and innovative materials to improve insulation and decrease thermal leakage (ADL 2001; Sunderman 2002).

Federal Minimum-Efficiency Standards on the Horizon

The energy bill passed by the U. S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate Energy Committee in 2003 directed DOE to set minimum-efficiency standards for reach-in refrigerators (U.S. Senate 2003). This provision has bipartisan support and is likely to be included in any final energy legislation that emerges from Congress likely in 2005. Under the rulemaking schedule called for in the bill, federal standards would be set three years after enactment of the legislation (i.e., sometime in 2008) and would take effect three years later (i.e., late 2011). The California Energy Commission is also considering a proposal to raise its minimum-efficiency standard to the current ENERGY STAR level, effective a few years after its 2004 standard.