Canadian processing company Quinlan Brothers Limited is to receive a $100,000 government grant to assist with the installation of new refrigeration control systems in its processing facility in Bay de Verde, Newfoundland and Labrador.
This funding will allow the company to explore innovation in its refrigeration technology with the goal of reducing energy consumption and cost.
“The Provincial Government is pleased to commit $100,000 to this research and development project, which has the potential to give provincial processors a new option for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs. By helping processors explore ways to achieve greater energy efficiency, we improve their ability to compete globally”, said Vaughn Granter, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
The project is part of a three-plant study by the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) to investigate benefits of energy efficient control systems in industrial settings. Refrigeration systems are the largest consumers of electrical energy in processing plants. By modifying existing technologies and adopting new efficient equipment, the new system has the potential to generate 10-15% energy savings overall.
The project began in late autumn 2013 and will be completed by the winter of 2015. Following the completion of this project, this technology could be used throughout the food processing industry wherever freezer and cooling systems are used.
Ocean Choice International and Allen’s Fisheries Limited are the other two processors participating in the CCFI study.
