What kitchens can do to save energy

Commercial kitchens have traditionally been huge wasters of energy, partly because equipment such as dishwashers are often over-specified and under-utilised, and partly because chefs have a habit of switching on a lot of the main cooking equipment, especially ranges, as soon as they arrive in the kitchen and leave it running most of the day.

Research by the Cranfield Institute of Technology estimated that commercial kitchens can use up to six times more energy to cook a given meal than a average domestic household. Another finding was that switching equipment off during prolonged non-productive periods in the afternoon (ie as soon as cooking is finished) could reduce energy consumption by as much as 28 per cent.

EC-funded gas efficiency research which studied hotplate usage indicated that basic measures such as using saucepans with lids could lead to around 7 per cent improvement in energy efficiency.

One conclusion is that everyone engaged in a catering operation, whether large or small, should be encouraged to think about energy efficiency. As yet, few equipment developments automatically resolve the wastage problems of equipment being left on, apart from induction hobs and microwave ovens. In both cases, power is only used when it is actually needed. Of the two appliances, the induction hob is tending to have the greatest impact on catering energy-saving in view of its wide range of stove-top applications.

Cranfield Institute of Technology