High-efficiency gas equipment could help commercial kitchens save money and reduce carbon emissions. GettyA food service industry expert stated last week that full electrification is still not possible for many. However, tons of carbon emissions can be avoided by using high-efficiency gas equipment immediately.Reality number 1 is that commercial kitchens are not economically able to electrify fully, according to Richard Young, Director of Frontier Energy's Food Service Technology Center.Another little bit of information is that we are actually generating more carbon if we switch that switch to full electrification.Young people aren't against electrification. Some devices, such as demand-control kitchen ventilation make sense now.He sees induction as the future of the industry, a technology that heats your cookingware instead of your stovetop.Induction is gaining momentum. Induction equipment has been made by major manufacturers. Ive been testing it for 20-25 years and found that induction is a superior technology. He spoke in a webinar hosted in part by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. These are the technologies of the future, according to our studies. This technology is the technology for the future, regardless of whether decarbonization takes place.Induction can also be used to reduce heat in the kitchen, making it safer and more comfortable for workers.However, electric griddles, fryers, and ovens can be twice as expensive to run as a gas one.He said that this is a significant price differential in an industry with a 5% margin.He said that foodmakers could make a profit and reduce carbon emissions by switching to high efficiency gas equipment.The second reality I find super important is Young's statement that significant decarbonization can be achieved immediately by upgrading to more efficient gas equipment.Food Service Technology Center examined the possibility of replacing a single piece low-efficiency gas equipment at different locations. Six tons of carbon dioxide per year were saved at hotels, seven tons at universities, 11 tons at hospitals, and 11 tonnes at grocery stores.A single rotisserie was replaced by a combination oven at the grocery store.Young stated that he knows of a chain with eight rotisserie ovens per store. This chain has hundreds to thousands of stores in the United States and can produce 88 tons per year.The new gas equipment will continue to emit carbon dioxide into the future. If electrification becomes more affordable or necessary, that equipment could become a stranded asset. Young asked me how long it would take for food servers to switch to gas using the new equipment.He said that it really depends on what type of operation you have. An oven might be kept in a school for 30 years. A fryer might last 5 years in a restaurant with frequent use.Young stated that even if the carbon savings don't impress business owners, the return of investment should.Every piece of equipment has an operating cost that is higher than its capital cost. In every instance, an operator would pay for the equipment over its lifetime if it were to purchase this piece of efficient equipment. It can even pay for itself within a year in some cases. I am reducing carbon, meeting my 2030 goals, getting positive ROI and getting better performance from this piece of equipment.
