Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, an international supplier of HVAC&R systems and services for the food retail industry and part of Carrier Global Corporation, has launched its new “refrigeration-as-a-service” (RaaS) offering, while UK-based OEM Clade is now providing “heating-as-a-service” (HaaS) with its range of CO2 (R744) and propane (R290) heat pumps.
Both services are designed for commercial applications.
The “as-a-service” business model, also known as servitization, is widely said to be one approach to supporting the transition to clean cooling and heating by removing the financial barrier of adopting highly efficient, natural refrigerant-based systems.
Through servitization, the end user simply pays for the refrigeration or heating it uses on a per-unit basis. The technology provider is then responsible for purchasing, operating and servicing the system, which incentivizes high-efficiency equipment.
Over the last few years, the Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy (BASE), a Swiss non-profit, has been spearheading the concept of servitization in the cooling sector via its Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) Initiative. In 2022, BASE also launched the Servitization for Energy Transition (SET) Alliance to scale up the adoption of the business model across various markets, such as heating and lighting. ATMOsphere, publisher of R744.com, is a partner of the SET Alliance.
Refrigeration-as-a-service
Carrier’s RaaS solution, which is currently being piloted, has been developed in collaboration with relayr, a German IoT (internet of things) company that also specializes in equipment-as-a-service (EaaS).
While Carrier Commercial Refrigeration designs, manufactures, installs and services the natural refrigerant-based equipment, relayr and its sister company IoT Financing Services (IFS) provide the IoT technology, equipment financing and operational asset management, explained the companies in a statement.
The partnership combines Carrier’s industry knowledge and energy-efficient, climate-friendly refrigeration systems with relayr’s EaaS expertise. Through their RaaS solution, the companies aim to provide food retailers with improved efficiency, reliability, cost performance and overall business resilience, they said.
“Carrier Commercial Refrigeration is pleased to collaborate with relayr to bring tremendous value to our customers and help ease the transition to the most energy-efficient technology using natural refrigerants,” said Marcus Eisenhuth, Vice President and General Manager of Carrier Commercial Refrigeration. “Refrigeration-as-a-Service will enable businesses to enhance efficiency by paying per hour of refrigeration, backed by a novel performance guarantee.”
“Food retailers can focus on their core business with confidence in the best possible uptime and performance,” added Jessica Poliner, CEO of relayr. “I believe that as-a-service models offer an unparalleled opportunity for higher efficiency, market adaptability and competitiveness.”
“I believe that as-a-service models offer an unparalleled opportunity for higher efficiency, market adaptability and competitiveness.”
Jessica Poliner, relayr
Heating-as-a-service
Clade has partnered with U.K.-based electrification specialist Plug Me In for its HaaS offering to help businesses accelerate their decarbonization efforts without the high upfront capital investment or system performance and maintenance risks.
“Heating-as-a-Service eliminates the initial and servicing costs of upgrading to ultra-efficient heat pump systems, paving the way for a greener tomorrow,” it explains on its website.
“Heating-as-a-Service eliminates the initial and servicing costs of upgrading to ultra-efficient heat pump systems, paving the way for a greener tomorrow.”
Clade
The partners’ HaaS solution can provide commercial and industrial end users with low-carbon heating and cooling via Clade’s range energy-efficient CO2 and R290 heat pumps.
For low-capacity applications, Clade’s ACER CO2 heat pump can provide 50–75kW (14–21TR) of heating, delivering high temperatures of 70–80°C (158–176°F). For larger installations, the manufacturer’s newest product – the Beech CO2 heat pump – is suitable for capacities of 0.6–1.4MW (170–398TR) using ground, air or water heat sources, as well as heat reclaim.
Clade also has a number of mid-range options, including its 100–200kW (28.4–56.8TR) Aspen R290 heat pump for end users that require a lower flow temperature.
“For one single monthly payment, HaaS allows [end users] to spread the investment cost over 15 years, guarantees system performance levels and includes a full-service package, inclusive of all parts and labor, with no hidden costs,” says Clade.
Through the service, end users can also track the performance of their system and measure carbon savings.
