TEMPERATURE TUNING
Simply being mindful of sample storage conditions can have a huge impact on energy use in the lab. One ultra-low temperature freezer can consume as much energy as a single-family home every day, so anything you can do in this category will help to significantly reduce energy consumption.
Adjusting ULT Set Points
Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers set to -70°C instead of -80°C use up to 40% less energy. Check to make sure your samples can be safely stored at this temperature. You can find resources about what and why you should "chill up" to -70°C on our Resources Page.
Ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers set to -70°C instead of -80°C use up to 40% less energy. Check to make sure your samples can be safely stored at this temperature. You can find resources about what and why you should "chill up" to -70°C on our Resources Page.
Storage at Appropriate Temperatures
Many reagents and samples do not require storage at ultra-low temperatures (-70 C or -80 C). For example, consider storing DNA in a standard -20°C freezer - these freezers consume 80% less energy than ULT freezers.
Many reagents and samples do not require storage at ultra-low temperatures (-70 C or -80 C). For example, consider storing DNA in a standard -20°C freezer - these freezers consume 80% less energy than ULT freezers.
