Best Practice Guide

Local Governments

Food Service

Buying and Operating Equipment

Steamers


Thanks to good heat transfer, steamers rank among the more energy-efficient kitchen appliances. But this doesn't mean they can't use a lot of energy. Until recently, most steamers were boiler-based water hogs, consuming an average of 40 gallons of water per hour. Bringing so much water to a boil requires a lot of energy-thousands of dollars worth per year for larger cafeterias. Fortunately, steamer technology has come a long way in recent years. New "connectionless" steamers operate as a closed system-without a boiler and a drain - so they consume far less water and, ultimately, far less energy. Many of the connectionless steamers are designed with output in mind and they can produce just as much food as traditional boiler-based steamers at a much lower cost to operate.

Tips for cooking with steamers

Close the door! Your profits are literally evaporating away if you’re operating your steamer with its door open.

Use only as many compartments as you need. With steamers, two-or three or four compartments are not better than one when it comes to saving energy and money. Shut down unnecessary compartments during slow periods.

Cut standby time. Eliminating an hour of standby time daily on a boiler-based steamer could save from $50 to $300 over the course of a year.

Use the timer. Not using your steamer’s timer? You’re probably paying the price for it. Timers save energy by ensuring that the steamer runs at full heat only when needed.

Keep it clean. Flushing out the boilers and removing mineral deposits will help ensure that you’re always operating at maximum efficiency.

Fix leaks. When gaskets loosen or tear don’t waste time before repairing them. Steam leaks will reduce cooking efficiency and drive up utility bills.

Invest in connectionless technology. Connectionless steamers require less maintenance than boiler-based steamers and consume far less energy and water. Field testing by PG&E’s Food Service Technology Center has shown just how great the savings can be: In one head-to-head challenge between a three-pan connectionless steamer and a traditional, boiler-based steamer, the connectionless steamer slashed annual water bills by $2,000 and annual electricity bills by $3,000. Get in on the savings—look for an ENERGY STAR qualified connectionless steamer.

Broilers


Broilers are true kitchen workhorses, but their dependability and usability come at a price: All that scorching heat requires a great deal of energy—perhaps more than any other appliance in the kitchen.  PG&E’s Food Service Technology Center has reported that one broiler can use as much energy as six fryers!  Making matters worse, broilers tend to rank among the least efficient appliances in the kitchen. Fortunately, a few good cooking habits can help trim energy waste and have a direct impact on your bills.

Cut preheat time. Don’t start the heat before you need it—you’ll waste energy and needlessly heat up your kitchen, forcing your air conditioner to work harder. Few cooking appliances require more than 20-30 minutes to preheat.

Reduce the cooking area. Because broilers use so much energy, turning off a section of your broiler can yield noticeable savings.

Eliminate standby time. Don’t leave your broiler at full heat during long lulls in activity—turn it down or off whenever possible. If you can manage to cut three hours of standby time every day, you could save upwards of $1,350 annually.

Rely on your griddle. For some cafeterias, griddles may be good alternatives to broilers. Thermostatically controlled griddles tend to use far less energy than broilers, and grooved griddles can be used to sear “grill marks” onto foods so they looked broiled.

Align broilers with exhaust hoodsSometimes appliances get pulled out for cleaning and don't make it all the way back under the exhaust hood, adding extra heat and smoke to the kitchen. Make sure that your broiler is fully under the hood and pushed as far back to the rear wall as possible.

Pasta cookers

It may surprise you to find out that doing something as simple as boiling water could be costing you thousands of dollars per year, but it's probably the case-especially if you happen to cook enough pasta to require a dedicated pasta cooker.

Dial in the savings. Do you boil water with your temperature dials to the max? If so, you might be throwing away more than $1,000 per year. Find the minimum settings required to maintain a boil—your food will cook just as fast, and you’ll slash your energy bills in the process.

Cut the idle time. Shutting down appliances during slow hours is always a good idea. In the case of pasta cookers, you could save $600 annually simply but cutting out two hours of idle time each day. If you can't shut down your pasta cooker, consider at least turning it down-a pasta cooker standing by at less than boiling temperature will use far less energy than a pasta cooker running a constant boil.

Ovens


In terms of energy efficiency, ovens are usually mid-level performers—they’re often more efficient than broilers, but less efficient than steamers and pressure cookers. Although to date no ovens have secured ENERGY STAR status, several energy-efficient convection and combination-style models are available, with some even qualifying for utility-sponsored rebate programs.

Use “combi” mode sparingly. Combination ovens are attractive because of their versatility as a cooking platform and their space-saving ability to mix the duties of ovens and steamers. Unfortunately, this double-duty can come at a cost—combination mode can use double the energy use of convection mode. Worse still, ovens operating in combination mode can use upwards of 40 gallons of water per hour! Typically, it is not necessary to operate these units in the combination mode during an entire cooking cycle. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations—use the oven’s built-in programmability and limit the amount of cooking in the combination cycle.  

Cut idle time. The bigger the oven, the more energy you’re wasting by leaving it idling. The amount of energy wasted can quickly add up, especially with conveyer ovens, which allow heat to escape at both ends. Turn ovens down or off during slow periods, shut down your backup ovens during lulls and shut oven doors all the way when the oven is empty but still on.

Keep it full. It is more efficient to cook in a fully loaded oven than a partially loaded one. If you’re workload permits it, cook in large batches and then turn off the oven in between loads.

Maintain seals and hinges. When seals and gaskets tear, replace them. When oven door hinges loosen, tighten them and re-align the doors.

Ranges


Like broilers, ranges are manually controlled and can be energy guzzlers depending on how you use them.

Maintain and adjust burners. Wavy, uneven or yellow flames are all signs that it’s time for a good burner cleaning and adjustment of the air shutter. Loosen the adjustment screw and move the shutter until the flame is bullet shaped and mostly blue, then retighten the screw. Never drill out the burners or the gas orifice to get a bigger flame—you’ll end up lowering the efficiency of your burner.

Put a lid on it. Use a lid on stockpots to hold in heat, boost efficiency and shorten cooking times.

Consider induction technology. Induction ranges are a potential alternative to traditional range tops. Induction range tops are more expensive then traditional gas or electric ranges but offer very high efficiency, rapid heat up, precise controls, and easy maintenance. Induction hobs can be purchased as single units or grouped together and can be set on top-of or built-into counter tops. Induction cook tops do require magnetic cookware in order to work properly.

Griddles


Griddles are one of the few pieces of cooking equipment that can be purchased with either manual or thermostatic controls. Typically, thermostatically controlled griddles cost less to operate. Utility rebates are available for the most efficient thermostatically controlled griddles.

Cut standby time. Chances are that you don’t need your griddle ready and waiting all day, every day. Save up to $250 annually by cutting out three hours of griddle standby time per day.

Invest in a double-duty griddle. When the time comes to invest in a new griddle, consider a model that features both grooved and flat cooking surfaces—especially if you do a lot of broiling. As mentioned earlier, griddles tend to be more efficient than broilers, and grooved griddles can achieve broiler-like char marks on food. Shifting cooking duties from a broiler to a grooved griddle will save money.

Fryers


Thankfully, if you’re in the market for a new fryer it’s pretty simple to get a jump on energy savings—fryers are one of four classes of kitchen equipment that are ENERGY STAR rated, and there are utility rebates for qualified models. Simply look for the ENERGY STAR label when narrowing down your purchase options; once you’re up and running, mix in some of the smart cooking practices below and you’ll be on the fast track to lower bills.

Cut idle time. PG&E’s Food Service Technology Center has observed that kitchen fryers tend to spend upwards of 75% of the day idling. Cutting out four hours of idle time each day could save around $250 annually for a gas fryer and about $350 for an electric fryer.

Check and adjust thermostats. Are you cooking hotter than you think? It’s not uncommon for fryer thermostats (or any other appliance thermostat, for that matter) to lose accuracy over time. Invest in periodic temperature checks and recalibration as necessary.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified fryer. It pays to look for the ENERGY STAR label when shopping for a new or used fryer. Fryers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are up to 25% more energy-efficient than standard models. With natural gas fryers, the added efficiency could save you about $350 annually.

Braising Pans


Close the lid. PG&E’s Food Service Technology Center has found that you can use 50% less energy simply by closing your braising pan’s lid during periods of extended use.

Buy an insulated braising pan. In the market for a braising pan? Look for one with insulated walls.


Refrigerators and Freezers


How often do you think about your refrigerator? Refrigerators tend to have tank-like durability, which can make them easy to forget about. But just because your refrigerator is working doesn’t mean that it’s working well—at least not when it comes to energy efficiency. As with any other mechanical equipment, refrigerator performance can dip over time. A few upgrades and a bit of maintenance can have a positive impact on your electricity bills.

Turn off door heaters. Saving money and energy doesn’t get much easier than this. Simply switch off the door heater on your reach-in refrigerator or freezer and you could save up to $75 annually per door.1 Turn that switch back on if you notice significant frost around the door or if there is water dripping on the floor from the front of the refrigerator—never do anything that compromises safety or performance.

Allow for air circulation. Refrigerators remove heat from inside the box and reject that heat out through the coils on the top or bottom of the unit. Don’t push your reach-ins into tight spaces where that heat will build up or the unit will end up working harder and using more energy.

Clean condenser and evaporator coils. If you take a look at your refrigerator’s condenser  you’ll see that the fins are magnets for dust and grime. Debris like this builds up on the fins, blocks air flow across the coils and drags down refrigeration efficiency. Dirty coils can also lead to early equipment failure and are sited by one manufacturer as the number one reason for service calls. Similarly, check and clean evaporator fins; find them behind the evaporative fans in your walk-in.

Close the lid on your food wells. Leaving the lid up on your prep table could increase electricity consumption by up to 50 percent.

Check and set defrost cycles. Defrosting is an energy-intensive process that can vary dramatically from cafeteria to cafeteria, so it’s important to take some time to figure out which defrost settings are right for you. The key is to only defrost for as long as you need, which in most cases is no more than 15 minutes, four times daily. Find your defrost time clock: Use the pins on the outside ring to set the number of defrost cycles, and use the center dial to set how long each defrost cycle lasts. One cafeteria owner observed by Southern California Edison’s engineers saved more than $800 annually by shortening the length of each defrost cycle from 70 minutes to 15 minutes.

Replace old gaskets. Add new door gaskets to any refrigerator that has torn or loose door gaskets. In some areas, utility rebates are available for gasket replacements, and there are service companies that will turnkey replace all the worn gaskets in a cafeteria.

Upgrade your walk-in. Strip curtains and automatic door closers are inexpensive, easy-to-install upgrades suitable for just about any walk-in. By some estimates, strip curtains alone can cut outside-air infiltration by 75 percent. Utility rebates that cover a big chunk of the upfront costs to purchase a strip curtain are often available. With a rebate, the payback on a strip curtain is usually well under one year.

Use efficient lights. Swapping out incandescent lights for low-temperature CFLs in your walk-in is a smart move. Incandescent lighting gives off much more heat than CFLs, forcing your refrigerator to work harder.

Shade remote condensers. Direct sunlight can really put a dent in the efficiency of a remote condenser. (Remote condensers are usually associated with walk-ins and can often be found on rooftops.) Use a few strategically placed panels to shade the condenser from direct sun during the hottest part of the day, while still allowing for good airflow into and around the condenser unit.

Insulate suction lines. On refrigeration systems with remote condensers, suction lines transport refrigerant from the evaporator to the compressor. Adding inexpensive insulation to suction lines can help keep them from absorbing heat during the transfer process, ultimately making the entire refrigeration process more efficient. Check with your utility—rebates may even be available to offset the cost of the insulation.

Add night curtains to display cases. Open-case refrigerators may be a great way to put products at the customer’s fingertips, but they’re typically not a top choice when it comes to energy efficiency. Cut down on energy waste by installing night curtains, which will help trap cold air inside the refrigerator case while you’re closed. The curtains are relatively inexpensive, and utility rebates are available in many parts of the state.

Recharge low refrigerant. Operating a walk-in with too little refrigerant puts extra strain on the compressor, driving energy costs up and increasing the risk of equipment failure. Fortunately, it’s fairly simple to keep track of your refrigerant level; simply look for the sight glass—the small window into the refrigerant line—on the condenser. If you see bubbles while the system is running, then it’s probably time to arrange for a recharge.

Switch to efficient fan motors. Installing efficient fan motors—specifically, the “electronically commutated” (ECM) variety—on a small, two-fan walk-in freezer has been shown to save about $200 a year per fan. Naturally, the bigger the refrigerator and the greater the number of fan motors replaced, the greater the electricity savings will be. If you’re in the market for a new walk-in, then California law requires you to install efficient fan motors. If you have an existing walk-in, consider swapping out the old fan motors for newer ECM models. Don’t wait until your old fan motors fail: It’s actually cheaper to plan ahead and upgrade to ECMs early rather than waiting for an emergency service call. There are currently rebates available for ECM motors; check with your utility to see if you are eligible.

Buy ENERGY STAR. Starting January 2006, California law requires that any new reach-in refrigerator or freezer sold is at least ENERGY STAR qualified or equivalent. Some reach-ins are more efficient than others, and utility rebates are available for the most efficient models. Find a list of the top performers at www.fishnick.com/rebates.

Ice machines


Shop for efficiency. Ice machine manufacturers voluntarily list the water and energy-use numbers for their ice-cube machines with the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) at www.ari.org/directories/acim. With this list in your hand, you can comparison shop for the most efficient ice machine and save yourself hundreds of dollars a year in water and electricity. Many utilities offer rebates for purchasing efficient ice machines, so check with you energy provider or ice machine dealer to see if you qualify.

Size matters. Here’s an interesting tip: Bigger ice machines are typically more efficient than smaller ones in the sizes used by most cafeterias. For instance, a 520 pound-per-day machine will make ice using as little as half the energy needed by a smaller 200 pound-per-day machine. The best part is that the bigger 520-pound machine does not cost twice as much as the 200-pound unit. So, choose wisely and you could get twice the ice capacity at half the energy cost per pound of ice. The larger machine also makes it easier to shift all of your ice making to nighttime hours.

Shift ice production. Cut down on your daytime electricity demand by installing a timer and shifting ice production to nighttime off-peak hours. Most cafeterias pay less for electricity at night and you’ll be turning off a hot, noisy piece of equipment during normal kitchen hours.

Pick your plan
When it comes to utility plans, being picky can be a good thing. Most utility providers offer an array of rate plans, so take the time to find out which one is right for you. Simply call your provider—they can help guide your decision by examining your billing history. The right plan can save you hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars a year.

The Importance of Peak Power


Becoming more energy efficient is good business—for you and for the state as a whole. By consuming less electricity, you’ll be helping to stabilize California’s power grids during peak hours, which refers to the time of day—roughly between noon and 7:00 p.m.—when electricity demand is highest. If you’re on a time-of-use electricity rate schedule, it’s also when electricity is most expensive.

When peak energy supplies are at their lowest, a Flex Your Power NOW! alert is triggered. That’s your signal to cut back on electricity use wherever possible. Here are some good options for cutting demand during a Flex Your Power NOW! alert:

  • Turn off non-essential lighting
  • Set air conditioners a couple of degrees higher
  • Shut off unneeded cooking equipment
  • Make sure walk-in doors are shut (don’t prop open)
  • Turn off all outdoor lighting

For more on Flex Your Power NOW!, peak electricity, and time-of-use electricity plans, log on to www.fypower.org/now.