It’s no secret that cold storage facilities are a huge investment for end users in the frozen food market. Ongoing operational cost, and energy costs in particular, are long-term considerations of any cold storage project. Cold storage architectural, engineering and construction know they must address these issues to secure project bids.
New Build | Retrofit | Refurbishment
When planning a new construction, retrofit or refurbishment project for their commercial or industrial freezer space operators want three things:
- To reduce energy usage
- To maintain temperature stability
- To maximize system efficiencies
Including a proven Viking Cold Solutions™ Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system in a low temperature cold storage facility will address all three of these while dramatically decreasing long-term operational costs. TES leverages phase change material to store energy in the form of cold for future use. It is engineered to freeze/thaw at the freezer’s designated temperature setpoint. This allows the refrigeration equipment to be turned off for long periods of time while maintaining stable temperatures in the freezer.
The Viking Cold TES system is refrigeration system agnostic, has no mechanical parts and a very simple installation perfect for new cold storage construction, retrofit or refurbishment projects. See more TES system features and benefits for cold storage design and build firms.
Because these systems offer so much additional value and can be successfully installed during construction or in existing facilities, cold storage construction companies have the opportunity to both reconnect with existing clients and to offer more competitive bids on new construction projects.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
One successful TES system example is California-based Frozen Gourmet, a dedicated Nestle facility and leading ice cream distributor. They recently installed a Viking Cold TES system in their facility, and have realized more than a 27% reduction in energy usage while maintaining stable food temperatures. So far, in this year alone, we have reduced their consumption by over 139,000 kWh, and continue to reduce more as the months pass.
The TES systems also allow for greatly reduced equipment run times which means lower maintenance cost and longer equipment life. While the energy savings Frozen Gourmet realized with their new TES system are certainly remarkable, one cannot help but wonder what amount of energy and operational savings were left on the table prior to the retrofit.
Help your new construction clients capture that money up front and present a value-add proposition to clients with existing facilities.
Building Quality for the Customer
By designing and building cold storage facilities with a Thermal Energy Storage system, design and build companies can deliver a finished product that provides temperature stability, reduced energy costs, and better equipment efficiencies for their clients.
To learn more, visit our Cold Storage Construction page now.
