Tokyo Vending Machines Go Green

Temperatures may be fluctuating wildly in Tokyo this month but some companies are already planning ahead in preparation for winter.

Coca-Cola Japan has voluntarily been making efforts to reduce power consumption in vending machines after the Great East Japan Earthquake in response to power shortages.

“We will continue to make voluntary efforts to reduce power consumption during the winter season as well.” Said Coca-Cola.

Starting in the middle of December, 2011 until March, 2012, in cooperation with location vending machine owners, the company will conduct “energy saving measures by stopping compressor functions” in the peak usage hours this winter in areas serviced by Tohoku Electric Power Co., Tokyo Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co.

In addition, for those vending machines installed outdoors that use lighting other than LED lighting, Coca-Cola will consider and implement appropriate measures to reduce the number of light bulbs used for lighting.

Also, Coca-Cola will continue to keep all lighting off for those vending machines installed indoors 24 hours a day.

“We will consider appropriate measures for other areas while taking into consideration the condition of power provision and the views of local and national governments as well as those of the power companies.” a spokesperson said.

“We have introduced roughly 150,000 heat pumps in the Coca-Cola system, and have been strongly promoting energy saving in vending machines by introducing vending machines that especially reduce energy consumption such as “ecoru/Solar” and “green roof” vending machines.”

In Coca-Cola’s vending machines equipped with heat pumps, the exhaust heat that is created when cooling products is reused in order to heat warm products in the vending machine, thus reducing power consumption.

“In addition, we have already decided that starting in 2012, for all possible cases, newly installed can and PET bottle beverage vending machines will have LED lighting for product displays.”

“We will further continue to develop and introduce energy-saving vending machines in order to contribute to energy savings in response to power shortages.”

Official website: www.cocacola.jp