Commercial Cooking - Opportunities

OPPORTUNITIES: ENERGY SAVINGS, WATER SAVINGS, KITCHEN COMFORT AND SAFETY

Energy efficient commercial cooking appliances are essential to reducing energy consumption in California.  In fact, a single commercial kitchen appliance can consume more energy per day than a typical home, according to the Food Service Technology Center. Energy efficient cooking appliances can save as much as 50% over standard models; with over 1 million commercial kitchen appliances operating in California, this represents a significant savings opportunity.

Appliances that save both water and energy offer the most significant benefit because water savings lead directly to energy savings by reducing the amount of water heating required. For a typical restaurant, the combined water and energy savings could add up to several thousand dollars per year. For example, Energy Star qualified steam cookers can save $1,075 a year in electricity costs, and up to $500 a year in water costs.  These cookers are 50% more energy efficient than conventional models, and can cut water consumption by 90%.  Instead of using a boiler to operate the steam cooker, which consumes an average of 30 gallons of water per hour, efficient boilerless steam cookers use only 2 gallons of water per hour.

Energy efficient cooking appliances also deliver non-energy benefits such as faster food production, a cooler & more comfortable kitchen environment, a safer kitchen due to lower temperature surfaces, and consistent, high quality food. These non-energy benefits follow directly from the efficiency gains: there is less waste heat in the kitchen due to more efficient conversion of heat and electricity into useful food preparation, which in turn creates a more comfortable environment. And efficient features such as better insulation also lead to lower equipment surface temperatures, creating a safer environment for workers. Purchasing energy efficient commercial cooking appliances is an easy way to save energy, save money, and produce better, safer results in the kitchen.

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