Caseus – Combined Use of Renewable Energy Sources Toimprove Energy Efficiency in Refrigerated Cheeseripening Chambers

This article focuses on the integrated use of various forms of renewable energy,including wind, solar thermal, and photovoltaic, combined with Phase Change Materials(PCMs), aiming to optimize energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions in the production oftraditional ewe’s cheese, with particular emphasis on the cooling system of the ripening chamber.Given the increasing global concern about climate change, with the European Union, it becomesimperative to seek sustainable solutions. The current volatility of fossil fuel prices in theinternational market reinforces the urgency of shifting the energy consumption paradigm,prioritizing the transition to renewable sources. This study, conducted as part of the CASEUSproject, encompasses several significant phases, including analyzing the most influentialvariables in temperature stability and energy consumption during pasteurization, coagulation,and ripening chamber stages; evaluating energy performance; optimizing the combined use ofelectrical (photovoltaic and wind) and thermal (solar hot water and biomass) energy sources andimplementing Phase Change Materials (PCM) to regulate the ripening chamber temperature andoptimize thermal energy flows through thermal energy storage