INDEE3 – Sustainable cooling and heating in India
Results
Papers
From Project Experience to Organisational Learning Collaboration, communication and scaling in SINTEF’s INDEE3 project
Development-oriented research projects often aim not only to produce knowledge, but also to support practical change beyond the project itself. This master’s thesis examines SINTEF’s INDEE3 project, a Norway-India research collaboration focused on sustainable cooling and heating in India. The thesis is guided by the following research question: How can experiences from collaboration, communication and cultural understanding in INDEE3 contribute to organisational learning in SINTEF, and what do they suggest for current and future implementation and scaling efforts? The thesis responds to a broader research gap concerning how multilevel learning occurs in global project-based organisations, and what mechanisms facilitate the transfer of learning between project experience and wider organisational practice.
Decarbonising micro cold rooms in food supply chains through renewable energy and low-GWP refrigerants
Food supply chains are increasingly being challenged by rising ambient temperatures, energy constraints, and post-harvest losses of around 30% for certain commodities due to inadequate cold chain infrastructure. Existing micro cold rooms predominantly employ grid-dependent direct-expansion systems operating with high-GWP refrigerants, with limited renewable energy integration. This study develops and evaluates a fully integrated solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered micro cold room incorporating thermal energy storage (TES) and a propane (R290)-based vapour compression system. The TES is sized to meet peak cooling demand at 45 °C and enables electrical load shifting, reducing peak compressor capacity and refrigerant charge. The proposed configuration is benchmarked against grid-dependent and partially PV-assisted systems using R404A, R407C, and R410A through comprehensive energy and Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) assessment. Under high ambient conditions, R290 demonstrates superior thermodynamic performance, achieving up to 21% lower compressor work and 27% higher COP at 45 °C compared to R404A. Annual energy consumption is reduced by up to 10.7%, resulting in approximately 10% lower TEWI. Integration of PV and TES enables grid-independent operation under appropriately sized capacity. An economiser-based subcooling strategy further enhances efficiency, reducing compressor work by about 21% and improving COP by around 26% at 45 °C relative to the baseline R290 system. Scenario-based projections indicate that large-scale deployment could mitigate up to 9900 kilotonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions by 2050, supporting national food security and decarbonization objectives.
A novel approach to enhance the performance of CO₂/NH₃ cascade systems by integrating waste energy recovery
This study investigates the integration of waste energy recovery into three modified CO₂/NH₃ cascade refrigeration systems (CRS), evaluating their energy performance and economic feasibility compared to a conventional baseline CRS. The proposed modifications harness waste heat from the high-temperature circuit (HTC) compressor discharge to preheat boiler feed water used in fishmeal and fish oil production and utilize cold energy from seafood processing wastewater to de-superheat the low-temperature circuit (LTC). The first configuration (CRSH) employs a heat exchanger at the HTC discharge for heat recovery; the second (CRSC) repurposes wastewater cold energy to reduce the cascade heat load, and the third (CRSHC) integrates both strategies. Simulation results demonstrate that CRSHC achieves 1.5%–7.5% compressor power savings and a 1.6%–8.1% improvement in COP over the baseline. Under Mumbai's coastal conditions, CRSHC exhibits the lowest annual energy consumption (19.8% reduction) and the highest seasonal energy efficiency ratio (24.7% gain). Economically, CRSHC offers the lowest life cycle cost despite a higher initial investment. In light of global policy emphasis on sustainable seafood processing and the adoption of low-carbon technologies, these findings support the promotion of waste energy recovery in industrial refrigeration as a viable strategy to enhance energy efficiency, reduce operational emissions, and align with climate-resilient industrial policies. The study offers evidence-based insights for stakeholders and policymakers aiming to decarbonize the cold chain while improving resource utilization in coastal food industries.
On-board refrigeration for indian fishing vessels: experimental evaluation of a propane-driven flake ice system
India, the world’s second-largest seafood producer, contributes about 8% of global output and exported 1.78 million metric tons of seafood, generating US$7.38 billion in 2023–24. Seafood harvesting is largely carried out by small fishing vessels, depending on shore-supplied ice for onboard preservation. This practice often results in operational inefficiencies, increased fuel consumption, and quality losses. This study develops and validates a numerical model of a diesel-engine-driven onboard flake ice generation system using R290 under high-ambient marine conditions. The model is validated using experimental data and applied to assess performance over a condensing temperature range of 36–42 °C. Comparative analysis with conventional HFC refrigerants (R404A and R407C) shows that R290 delivers up to 31.2% lower compressor power consumption and COP improvements of up to 31.3%. Although its heat recovery potential is lower, R290 achieves the highest combined COP, indicating superior overall energy utilisation and suitability for onboard refrigeration.
Transcritical CO2 refrigeration system with economizer for small fishing vessels
Seafood plays an important role in the local food supply chain, especially in coastal areas of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Maintaining proper product temperature throughout the cold chain is essential for preserving seafood quality and reducing food waste. However, small fishing vessels often lack active refrigeration, relying only on ice to preserve the catch. This study investigates the potential of a compact transcritical CO₂ refrigerated seawater (RSW) system as an alternative. Experimental investigations with seawater inlet temperatures from 20 °C to 30 °C, typical for warm climate regions in LMICs, showed COP values from 3.5 to 1.8. To address the low values at high temperatures, an economizer was integrated. This enabled vapor injection. The results showed an improved performance by up to 6.7 % resulting in a COP of 2.07. A Modelica model was developed to simulate various operating conditions and configurations. Simulations for Norwegian conditions showed less than 1.5 % efficiency increase and limited benefit from vapor injection in colder climates.
R744-based integrated heat pump and chiller system for hotels in tropical climates
Hotels in India typically rely on synthetic refrigerant-based chillers for space cooling and diesel-fired water heaters for hot water production—both energy-intensive solutions that contribute significantly to global warming. Transitioning to natural refrigerants like CO2 is a promising alternative, but this shift faces several challenges in India, including high ambient temperatures, limited technical expertise, resistance to adopting new technologies, and a shortage of skilled professionals. Demonstrating the real-world performance of such systems is essential to overcoming these barriers. This paper presents and discusses the first set of field data from a CO2 heat pump recently implemented in a hotel located in a tropical region of India. The system successfully met its design goals, producing hot water at 80 °C while simultaneously providing chilled glycol-water at 2 °C. The results indicate that CO2 based systems can effectively meet both heating and cooling demands in warmer climates, offering a sustainable alternative for the hospitality industry.
Decarbonisation pathways for cold rooms in India using renewable energy and low GWP refrigerants
India’s food chain faces growing challenges from rising ambient temperatures, energy constraints, and post-harvest losses of nearly 30% for some commodities due to inadequate infrastructure and the absence of standard processes. Despite recent expansion, the cold chain sector remains highly energy-intensive, with limited integration of renewable energy and continued reliance on high-GWP refrigerants. This study evaluates a solar photovoltaics (PV)–powered micro cold room integrated with thermal energy storage (TES) to support during the absence of solar energy, using R290 as refrigerant, and compares its performance with grid-dependent and partially PV-assisted configurations. The R290-based system demonstrates up to 11% lower annual energy consumption compared to R404A systems, with an improved coefficient of performance and a 10% reduction in total equivalent warming impact. PV–TES integration enables grid independence. Large-scale deployment could reduce emissions by up to 9,900 kilotonnes by 2050, supporting food security and climate goals nationally significantly.
