Flexible Operation to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions along the Cold Chain for Chilling, Storage, and Transportation—A Case Study for Dairy Products

Martin Stöckl (), Johannes Idda, Volker Selleneit and Uwe Holzhammer
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Martin Stöckl: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Johannes Idda: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Volker Selleneit: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Uwe Holzhammer: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-27

Abstract: The further expansion of renewable energies in Germany requires flexible consumers to balance fluctuations in electricity production from variable renewable energies. Cold storage warehouses, due to their inherent storage capacity and widespread use, are well-suited for integrating more renewable energies. The potential of cold storage warehouses is often viewed in isolation and not in conjunction with the cold chain’s upstream and downstream processes. By adjusting the temperatures within the processes, the individual links in the cold chain can be made flexible. To assess the effects of flexibilization on emissions and electricity costs, thermodynamic models of the individual links in the cold chain and of a yogurt pallet are developed and linked together. Due to temperature fluctuations in the products resulting from the flexibilization, emission evaluations must be considered throughout the cold chain. Results of the simulation for the study period show that emissions reductions and electricity cost savings can be achieved in all three links when they are made flexible. However, the savings vary in magnitude. Only minor savings can be achieved in the cooling tunnel. The greatest potential for savings is in refrigerated transport, if deeper cooling occurs in the process before, i.e., in the cold storage warehouse.

Keywords: flexibility; flexible energy demand; system efficiency; cold storage warehouse; refrigerated transport; cold chain; variable renewable energies; industry; dairies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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