4^th ATMOsphere network Tokyo: Lawson is world No1 with 550 CO₂ CVS stores

The fourth edition of the ATMOsphere 'network' Tokyo meetings was organised on 27 November 2014 in Tokyo. Sponsored by Panasonic ES, the leading Japanese supplier of CO₂ transcritical (TC) systems for supermarkets (SM) and convenience stores (CVS), ATMOsphere 'network' Tokyo was hosted by Marc Chasserot and Jan Dusek from shecco Japan. The event attracted close to 100 key stakeholders interested in the latest market, policy and technology developments in the field of natural refrigerants.

 

 

shecco Japan’s close cooperation with Panasonic ES drew a large number of Japanese retail brands such as Lawson, AEON, Hanshoku, the Tokyu Department Store, Co-op Sapporo, Co-op Nagano, Co-op Net, Circle Sunkus, Fuji Citio, Mitsukoshi Isetan Food Service, Tokyu Store, Fuji, Yaoko and many others to the event. These forward looking companies understand the change coming to the Japanese market and welcomed the opportunity to participate in the ATMOsphere network Tokyo event to learn about global and domestic policy and market developments. 

 

 

Japanese convenience store (CVS) brand, Lawson, which has operations in Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Hawai, announced its world-leadership as the retailer with the highest number of CO₂ stores. At the end of October 2014, Lawson had 324 CO₂ stores up-and-running. By the end of February Lawson estimates this number to grow to 550 CO₂ CVS. According to Hiroyuki Matsutani Lawson aims to be the world’s “No.1 Natural Refrigeration Retailer”. 

 

CO₂ refrigeration became a standard technology for all new Lawson stores as from September 2014. The introduction of these energy saving CO₂ refrigeration systems is one of the Lawson’s “Energy Conservation” Actions, for which the retailer has a mid-term goal of reducing electricity consumption per store by 20% by FY2020 (compared to FY2010).

 

Standard Lawson CVS deploy proven Japanese technology: 10HP and 2HP CO₂ condensing units by Panasonic. This technology contributes to average energy savings of 21% compared to conventional HFC units, which is true for several locations throughout Japan. 

 

Favourable results were achieved already in 2012. A comparison of systems using different refrigerants in stores opened in FY2012 and FY2013 showed the following:

 

 

 

The first CO₂ CVS stores were introduced to a hot climate in Jakarta in 2014. One store was completed with the support of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as a feasibility project. The second project received a grant from the Japanese Ministry of Environment (MOE) under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), a scheme to help facilitate the diffusion of leading low carbon technologies and contribute to the sustainable development of developing countries. The third CO₂ CVS store, also part of the JCM scheme, is scheduled to open in March. According to Matsutani all three CVS stores in Jakarta will achieve the project target of annual energy savings for refrigeration of 42,940kWh.

 

 

The AEON group, a member of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), with 12 businesses in 13 countries and over 18,000 stores and offices, represents a leading supermarket (SM) and CVS chain. The company is introducing the natural refrigerant CO₂ to its fleet of stores in Japan, mainly under its AEON, MaxValu and MiniStop brands. 

 

At the beginning of her ATMOsphere Network presentation Haruko Kanamaru referred to AEON’s declaration on Natural Refrigerants: “We will introduce facilities with natural refrigerants (CO₂) at all our new stores while converting to natural refrigerants at about 3,500 existing stores overtime.” 

 

Kanamaru went on to talk about some of the results of AEON’s first CO₂ installations. In case of the first three CO₂ stores installed in 2009-2011, the confirmed energy savings was 10%, sufficient for AEON to further invest in CO₂, as the technology was seen as a viable. The next CO₂ supermarket had even better energy savings of about 20%, while the MiniStop CO₂ CVS saves up to 30%. According to Kanamaru: “Safety, stability, energy savings (=reduction of operating cost) and a CO₂ reduction were all confirmed.”

 

In December 2013 AEON opened its largest format (GMS) flagship store, the AEON Mall Makuhari New City. This GMS store covers an area of 128,000m² and 20 CO₂ systems provide cooling to 144 CO₂ showcases. Performance data accumulated from February to October indicate 23% energy savings in comparison with an R404A system.

 

Kanamaru also pointed out regulatory and cost barriers to larger scale introduction of CO₂ for Japanese supermarkets. The out-dated classification of CO₂ as an “active gas” under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act limits the availability of large capacity systems and increases the cost of the solutions for supermarkets. According to Kanamaru, collaboration between all relevant stakeholders is necessary to change this, by for example working with manufacturers to trimm the weight of high intensity steel pipes. In her conclusion, Kanamaru demanded that the Japanese government address two points:

 

 

 

Hanshoku, a Japanese retailer with its head office in Osaka and 75 supermarket (SM) stores in Japan, represented by Ryo Kitamura, sees CO₂ refrigeration systems and government subsidies as a perfect opportunity to convert its existing R22 systems while doing the right thing for environment. This is in line with company’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy. In December 2014, the company will open a brand new 2,200m² supermarket in Osaka. The Hanshoku Oasis SM is equipped with four 20HP, four 15HP and one 10HP CO₂ condensing unit installed on the roof of the SM. Energy efficiency is expected to improve by 12% in comparison with same class of SM equipped with R410A. Annual emissions of CO₂ are also estimated to decrease by 344.5 tonnes of CO₂-eq.

 

Kazuo Nakano and Tatsuya Tamura, representing the Tokyu Department Store, a Japanese retailer with 11 stores in Japan and one abroad, introduced the company’s actions to reduce the environmental impact of its stores and operations. The company’s efforts include introducing CO₂ refrigeration in a pilot project supported by METI. Shibuya Hikarie, a flagship department store in the centre of Tokyo, opened in April 2012, features 6 units of 13HP water-cooled CO₂ condensing units providing cooling to 40 showcases and 10 prefabricated refrigerated rooms. In comparison to an HFC system, energy efficiency has been improved by 26% and CO₂ emissions reduced by 215 tonnes of CO₂-eq per year.

 

 

One of the highlights of the ATMOsphere network event was the Panasonic ES announcement about its new lineup of CO₂ condensing units and showcases for supermarkets and convenience stores, for 2015. This world premier and exclusive introduction will be covered on R744.com in a second article about the Tokyo event.