Every year, the average grocery store spends about $200,000 on energy costs. Grocery stores are large and require a lot of electricity to operate, but the two biggest reasons this cost is so high is refrigeration and lighting.

Refrigeration and lighting make up more than 50 percent of your grocery store’s energy consumption. Saving energy in your grocery store should be a priority for any grocery business that wants to save money. Refrigeration and lighting are the two best places to start.

Saving energy in refrigeration

A lot of energy is required to keep the air cool in your refrigeration units and freezers. Most grocery stores have a lot of these units, so this means they consume a significant portion of your energy.

Grocery store owners have options for reducing the impact refrigeration has on your energy consumption rate. One of the best options is to contact a refrigeration professional for routine maintenance.

Routine refrigeration service can keep your refrigeration units clean, so they work more efficiently and are less prone to breakdowns. Refrigeration professionals can identify areas in your refrigeration system that are consuming too much energy and then develop solutions for these issues.

Saving energy in lighting

Incandescent lighting in your grocery store drives up energy consumption rates for a few different reasons. First, they simply consume a lot of electricity to operate. Second, they create heat, which forces your HVAC and refrigeration systems to work harder than necessary.

Switch your incandescent bulbs for LEDs or fluorescent bulbs. These consume much less energy and do not put off a lot of heat. They also last significantly longer than incandescents, so you won’t need to replace them as frequently.

Contact Energy Optimization for grocery store optimization services

If you’re looking for ways to save energy in your grocery store, you should have an energy professional from Energy Optimization visit your facilities. Our energy professionals have years of training and experience in developing energy optimization solutions for grocery stores and other industries. Contact us today to learn more about our energy optimization solutions.