According to a new E-Guide from ICS Cool Energy, free cooling has the potential to unlock year-round process cooling energy savings for industrial end-users, yet a combination of scepticism and a lack of awareness is limiting wider take-up.
Free Cooling: Break Free From The Cost Of Process Cooling, which is freely available from the ICS Cool Energy website, outlines how free cooling can cut process cooling costs by up to 80 per cent compared to a purely electro-mechanical system, and can be applied to any industrial application with a water leaving temperature of 10°C or more.
The guide provides an in-depth overview of the mechanics of free cooling, as well as the range of equipment available to achieve it.
Detailed information on available funding options for industrial end-users is also included, along with legislative and economic factors which are set to drive the refrigeration industry towards greener alternatives.
“Free cooling gives end-users a tangible way to both reduce their process cooling costs and improve their environmental credentials. Given the scope of applications it can support, the guide should provide UK industrial end-users with the opportunity to make a knowledgeable and informed decision when they next review their process cooling system and energy costs,” said Richard Metcalfe, Director - UK and Ireland Sales and Service at ICS Cool Energy.
“While the potential savings are clear to see, industrial end-user take-up has been limited to date, due to a lack of awareness, or scepticism surrounding its ability to deliver a return on investment. However, for any application with a water leaving temperature of 10°C or more, free cooling can be used to replace traditional electro-mechanical cooling, and the majority of its associated utility costs.”