The Carbon Footprint of Fruit Storage: A Case Study of the Energy and Emission Intensity of Cold Stores

Abstract

Despite their importance in all transportation chains, logistical sites—and in particular refrigerated facilities—are the weakest link in current emissions literature. This is largely due to a lack of quantitative research that focuses on these facilities. This article is the first of its kind to assess the emissions of eight refrigerated facilities that handle and store fresh fruit. In 2020, the analyzed facilities moved a total of 646,572 pallets of fresh fruit and emitted 32,225 t of CO2e. Five of the largest facilities were responsible for handling 18.83% of the total fresh fruit exported from South Africa during 2020. The results revealed that storing and handling a pallet of fruit in a large-scale commercial cold store requires 7.62 kWh of electricity per day. Storing and handling fresh fruit is carbon intensive since each pallet stored translates to 7.52 kg CO2e d−1. However, other factors such as the seasonality and volume of fruit handled, facility characteristics and the availability of solar electricity systems, among others, all have a significant impact on the emissions value of the facility and on the emission intensity per pallet moved through the facility.