Repsol YPF

In July 2003, the European Union approved a new directive to encourage the manufacturing and purchasing of environmentally-friendly refrigerators. The reason for this was the CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), which is what refrigerators use to chill and freeze foods, and to insulate. They are stable compounds, which despite being neither toxic nor flammable, are one of the main causes of the hole in the ozone layer. 

In fact, in the 1990s, environmental organisations were already emphasising the need to protect the ozone layer from CFC gas, one of the causes of global warming. They promoted the use of HFC gases (hydrofluorocarbons) as a viable alternative, but these also lead to high energy consumption. Moreover, they possess an extremely high global warming potential and once they are released, they are highly active intensifying agents of the greenhouse effect because their life in the atmosphere is quite long. 

Controlling consumption

Since then, the image of the environmentally-friendly electrical household appliance and its benefits has become increasingly well-known in the market. The choice of a refrigerator depends on various factors, such as space and aesthetics, and the needs of each family. Nevertheless, when buying an electrical appliance such as this, its energy consumption is an increasingly important consideration. 

Currently, the use of CFCs has been reduced by 50%. In domestic refrigeration, environmentally-friendly technologies such as greenfreeze have a dual benefit, since on the one hand they get round the use of HFC and on the other, they consume less energy. There are models which select the temperature and consume the same amount of energy as a 40-watt light bulb. 

One of the environmentally-friendly refrigerator models is Oceania, a new concept in the food preservation and freezing world, designed by Tez Patel. This small fridge has three independent chilling shelves. In order to achieve this it uses magnetic refrigeration, which the user can activate or deactivate by means of a digital interface. 

Separate areas

The lower section is designed to cool passively using water and ceramic materials. Its temperature makes it ideal for storing fruit and vegetables. The appliance is connected to the main water inlet, just like a washing machine. This enables the water to enter and be stored easily, chilling the compartment. This water can subsequently be reused. 

The upper section has a new generation digital system that uses RFID technology (Radio Frequency IDentification) an identification system that allows you to know which foods are inside the fridge, their ‘best before’ date and even suggests possible recipes which can be made using these ingredients. The Oceania fridge also has mechanisms that warn you when you place hot food in the fridge. 

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