“Installation cost can still be a challenge. This is due to the scarcity of manufacturers that can provide energy-efficient natural refrigerant units as well as laws and regulations, and therefore cannot be solved by Aeon alone. Some refrigerated showcases are used at large supermarkets and others at CVSs. Since showcases for CVSs are more versatile, there is a possibility that multiple manufacturers enter this sector, contributing to cost reduction...Also, to abide by the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, our refrigeration systems must satisfy strict safety requirements, including employment of high-strength steel tubing. There are limits for the horsepower of refrigerating machines, too. These factors keep the cost high. Even if you downsize the facility to be exempt from the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, it would require higher cost, as the actual number of system will increase.”

Aeon Co., Ltd. -retail chain store

“There are many houses around Okayama Plant. So it is our responsibility to ensure safe manufacturing and it is imperative that we clarify how to respond to ammonia leakage and train ourselves to deal with it properly. Although we have already installed ammonia refrigeration equipment before and the plant was equipped with sprinklers for emergencies, we re-examined measures against various risks. However, the amount of ammonia which had been used in tons in the existing unit was reduced to around 200kg with the new system. Thanks to this reduction, we believe even in case of ammonia leakage, the risk would be drastically reduced. On the other hand, nobody knows when natural disasters would occur. Hence we train our employees to respond to leakage in case of emergencies on a regular basis.

CALPIS Co., Ltd. Okayama Plant -beverage manufacturer

“Since our company had already formulated a "F-Gas Free Plan" as our company-wide policy, there were no real issues surrounding the introduction. However, when the subsidy is used, we are supposed to install the equipment by the end of the same fiscal year. Therefore, the schedule until the installation becomes very tight. In addition, a refrigeration system must be renovated with a new system while the warehouse is constantly in operation. In this sense, even though there may be some practical challenges for the actual introduction such as these, I believe it would be possible to realize it by making thorough planning.“

Maruha Nichiro Logistics, Inc. -logistics

“I don't think there was any major issue. From management point of view, we pay great attention to striking a balance between the initial cost and running cost. Even though Shinetsu Myojo is a 2.3 billion yen company, it made 1.6 billion yen investment in Shimoshiojiri Factory. Next year the second phase of construction will be carried out with additional 400 million yen investment. We didn't want to build a factory with incomplete measures and equipment. Although it would take longer time to build, by controlling the running cost, greater initial cost could be absorbed. In addition, the subsidy we received from the Ministry of the Environment amounted to a sum of about 40 million yen. Without the subsidy, we would not have been able to materialize the entire plan.”

Shinetsu-Myojo Co., Ltd -noodle company

“If we dare to point it out, it could be higher cost of introducing an energy-efficient natural refrigerant system. However, its cost is only 10~15% higher than conventional systems. When we think about the impact of refrigeration systems on global warming, we believe we can only opt for natural refrigerants. Therefore, we think this much difference in cost at the moment cannot be helped. Furthermore, safety has never been an issue.“

Takaki Bakery Co., Ltd -breadmaking

“As in the nature of department store business, there are three types of facility ownership; facility owned by the commercial operator, by tenants, or the cost shared on pro rata basis. This time, Tokyu Department Store covered the entire expense, because the energy-efficient natural refrigerant units were the target of a government subsidy project. Since a natural refrigerant refrigeration system is more expensive than a conventional system, the installation would not have been realized without the subsidy. We faced technical challenges, as well. Generally speaking, water-cooled systems are preferred for high-rise buildings, but natural refrigerant systems are usually air-cooled. Air-cooled systems come with outdoor units, but Shibuya Hikarie is a high-rise building with limited space, which doesn’t allow outdoor units to be placed. Since there was no water-cooled natural refrigerant system on the market at the moment, we cooperated with a manufacturer to commercialize it.
Because it is a water-cooled system, its COP (coefficient of performance) varies with the water temperatures. Since the units are equipped with an integrated facility monitoring system by the manufacturer, which allows our data acquisition, we have looked precisely at how the way we run the system affects COP. As a result, the system now shows a stable performance. It enhances the system efficiency to run the whole system integrally than to use each machine separately.
How to ensure safety was another concern. Since we did not have relevant safety standards at that point, we consulted with the manufacturer to proceed with the installation. To be prepared for unforeseeable circumstances, we took sufficient safety measures, such as a CO₂ leakage detector installed in the back office.“

Tokyu Department Store Co., Ltd -retail chain store