Denmark unveils new energy-efficient 'Smart Store'

Copenhagen, June 30 A new "Smart Store" has been launched in Denmark, showcasing technologies running entirely on sustainable energy sources.

The Smart Store is in Nordborg in the west of the country, and uses heat capture and reuse technology which allows for a reduction of up to 90 per cent in heating costs,reports Xinhua news agency.

"We developed this new Smart Store supermarket with partners and customers to demonstrate that it is possible to build a climate-friendly and super-efficient facility," said Jurgen Fischer, President of Climate Solutions at Danfoss, a Danish company which promotes energy-efficient supermarket models.

The heat recovery systems at the Smart Store recover waste heat from refrigeration units, and reuse it to heat the store and produce domestic hot water.

"Any additional heat is shared with residents of the surrounding town through a district energy network," said Fischer.

Other initiatives include installing doors on refrigerators and freezers to save approximately one-third in energy consumption, and using LED lighting instead of incandescent bulbs to save 85 per cent in electricity.

The key component to energy efficiency will be the supermarket's ability to produce its primary source of energy from 100-kilowatt solar panels on the roof.

In light of Europe's current energy crisis, Danfoss estimates that the cost of implementing their solutions in a new supermarket would be paid back in less than three years through energy savings.