Carbon dioxide is being captured and used to cool offices by a firm in Thailand.
The industrial refrigeration, freezing and cold-storage firm ITC Group is installing the world’s first thermal ice storage at its office, using pure carbon dioxide instead of freon as a refrigerant.
Director Apichai Lumlertphongphana said the utility named “Co2 for I” will enable both offices and industries to cut electricity bills as well as help reduce the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Thailand releases 300,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year into the atmosphere.
For most buildings, 60 per cent of electricity consumption is used for air conditioning, while the rest is used for lighting.
To reduce electric bills, thermal ice storage or ice banks will use electricity during the night when power rates are low to store energy in the form of ice.
During the day when peak power rates apply, the ice is melted, releasing energy to power air conditioning in a building. One kilogram of ice produces 80 kilo-calories of energy.
Co2 for I uses carbon dioxide as a natural refrigerant, replacing commonly used freon or chlorofluorocarbons that have high global warming potential.
With R22 being phased out in Thailand, the system it is an interesting alternative but the cost of installation is almost double the cost of installing air conditioning.
Despite the high investment costs, Apichai believes the environmental benefits make it worthwhile.