It is probably no surprise that at many industry meetings, one of the topics usually discussed in detail is how to reduce energy use with existing refrigeration equipment. After all, the commercial refrigeration system is the biggest energy user within supermarkets, accounting for about 40 to 60 percent of electricity consumption, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Buying new, higher-efficiency refrigeration equipment can be cost prohibitive, which is why making targeted retrofits or upgrades to existing systems may make the most sense for many food retailers.