CASEUS – COMBINED USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES TOIMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN REFRIGERATED CHEESERIPENING CHAMBERS

Resumen

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 of
traditional 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 becomes
imperative to seek sustainable solutions. The current volatility of fossil fuel prices in the
international market reinforces the urgency of shifting the energy consumption paradigm,
prioritizing the transition to renewable sources. This study, conducted as part of the CASEUS
project, encompasses several significant phases, including analyzing the most influential
variables in temperature stability and energy consumption during pasteurization, coagulation,
and ripening chamber stages; evaluating energy performance; optimizing the combined use of
electrical (photovoltaic and wind) and thermal (solar hot water and biomass) energy sources and
implementing Phase Change Materials (PCM) to regulate the ripening chamber temperature and
optimize thermal energy flows through thermal energy storage