Viking Cold Showcases Sustainability Solutions at RETA

October 31, 2024 Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage

Viking Cold Solutions recently attended the Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association (RETA) National Conference in Grapevine, Texas, to learn more about emerging technologies, such as newer refrigerants and control systems, and their impact on industrial refrigeration. The RETA Conference provides valuable professional development and features a variety of workshops, hands-on training, and technical presentations geared toward builders, operators, and technicians within the temperature control industry.

The RETA Conference sets the highest industry standards where companies can connect and collaborate with their peers to resolve specific challenges to their operations. Attending the conference helped our team gain insight into the industry’s current challenge of increasing efficiency in refrigeration. Viking Cold Solutions exhibited our Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology at the conference and engaged with like-minded professionals about the latest products and services in industrial refrigeration. Our TES makes the world’s refrigeration systems more efficient and resilient while protecting product quality and reducing energy costs by 20%-30% or more.

The Viking Cold team connected with many of our customers and engaged with new potential clients who are also focused on energy efficiency and demand management. We had insightful conversations about our TES solutions and how they can be used in various processes to benefit industrial refrigeration. Our customers value our commitment to sustainability and see us as a trusted partner who is at the forefront of refrigeration and cold storage technology.

Viking Cold Helps Celebrate Feeding Northeast Florida’s Decade of Impact

October 1, 2024 Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage

Viking Cold Solutions proudly supported the 10th Anniversary of Feeding Northeast Florida and their event celebrating the grand opening of their new distribution center on Saturday, September 28th.  For the past decade, Feeding Northeast Florida has been fighting hunger across the region, where more than 270,000 residents face food insecurity every day.

Last year alone, the food bank distributed nearly 35 million pounds of food, and the need continues to grow as 1 in 5 children and 1 in 8 adults in Florida face food insecurity.  These people rely on Feeding Northeast Florida for access to fresh, healthy groceries instead of having to make a choice between nourishment and other expenses like healthcare, housing, and utilities.

In partnership with Feeding Northeast Florida, Viking Cold Solutions installed a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system which will lower energy costs, improve food quality, and allow the food bank to feed more of their neighbors.  With TES technology, Feeding Northeast Florida will be able to extend its reach and serve more residents by redirecting the savings from reduced utility expenses to providing more meals to those in need.

At the celebration, Viking Cold Solutions’ Founder and Chairman, Paul Robbins, was recognized for his accomplishments in the logistics and cold storage industry including his invention and patenting of Thermal Energy Storage technology.

We are grateful to Feeding Northeast Florida for their partnership and commitment to addressing hunger in the community.  At Viking Cold Solutions, we are dedicated to strengthening these food bank partnerships to help feed more Americans and reduce food insecurity across North America.

Viking Cold Solutions Champions Energy Efficiency

September 27, 2024 Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage

The 2024 Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) Convention, held in Bonita Springs, Florida, faced an unexpected interruption due to the approach of Hurricane Helene.  As always, the GCCA stepped up their game in the face of adversity and pivoted to deliver an outstanding event.  Viking Cold Solutions also stayed the course and was able to engage with like-minded companies to evaluate new technologies and strategies for navigating the cold chain industry.

The GCCA Convention is an annual event for advancing the cold chain, fostering collaboration and innovation while promoting sustainable practices.  It brings industry leaders together to exchange insights and best practices on improving temperature-controlled logistics, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing operational efficiency.  With ever-evolving regulations affecting everything from energy efficiency to food safety, staying informed is essential for companies aiming to optimize operations and minimize environmental impact.

The market is evolving quickly, driven by new innovations and the growing need for efficiency and sustainability.  To stay ahead, technology-driven companies are exploring advancements in energy management, facility monitoring, data analysis, and incorporating artificial intelligence to optimize results.  Viking Cold Solutions remains at the forefront of these technologies, driving reductions in energy costs for our clients of 20% to 30% or more.

We had a great experience at this year’s GCCA Convention and are grateful to the GCCA for powering through the conference despite the threat of a hurricane making landfall.  As always, it was an invaluable opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and explore innovations in the cold chain.  Viking Cold continues to partner with industry leaders who advance the adoption of energy-efficient and sustainable solutions to their business challenges.

Photos by Global Cold Chain Alliance.

Viking Cold Solutions Wins Top 3PL & Cold Storage Provider Award

June 28, 2024 Awards, Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage, News Articles

Food Logistics honored Viking Cold’s Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology with the Top 3PL & Cold Storage Provider award for 2024! This award recognizes industry leading third-party logistics and cold storage providers in the cold food and beverage industry. Our TES technology was highlighted for making the world’s refrigeration and cold storage systems more efficient, flexible, resilient, and sustainable.

With TES technology, cold storage operators can increase refrigeration system efficiency by 20-30% and cut energy costs up to 50% while better protecting products. Maintaining consistent temperature control, despite mechanical issues, grid interruptions or natural disasters, is critical for preserving product quality and safety. Our TES systems integrate easily and have been installed in commercial and industrial frozen food warehouses and distribution centers around the world.

“3PLs and cold storage providers remain a key puzzle piece to building and nurturing partnerships, cultivating resilience and helping companies in the cold food space overcome supply chain disruptions,” says Marina Mayer, Editor-in-Chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. “Seventy-six percent of the winners plan to invest in software solutions this year. This is indicative of how forward-thinking these 3PLs and cold storage providers are, and how despite disruptions and other challenges, they continue to forge ahead.”

Food manufacturers, 3PLs, supermarkets, and restaurants adoption of Thermal Energy Storage technology is helping the broader food industry decarbonize today. By leveraging TES, these businesses reduce energy usage, lower their carbon footprint, and more efficiently store renewable energy.

Viking Cold Solutions provides innovative technology to support a more sustainable and resilient cold chain. To see how we can help optimize your facility, check out cold storage benefits of TES. For more information on Thermal Energy Storage contact sales@vikingcold.com.

Viking Cold Solutions Wins AESP Energy Award

February 8, 2024 Awards, Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage, News Articles


Left to right: Jen Szaro, James Bell, Rebecca Troutfetter

Viking Cold Solutions is recognized by the Association of Energy Services Professionals’ (AESP) inaugural Innovations in Demand Flexibility award today at their annual conference in San Antonio, Texas.  The award was received by James Bell, Viking Cold Solutions’ President and CEO, and presented by Jen Szaro, President & CEO of AESP, and Rebecca Troutfetter, Vice President of Engineering & Corporate Impact at CLEAResults.

AESP, a leading industry trade group advancing the energy industry, introduced the Innovations in Demand Flexibility award this year.  This competition for the award spanned various demand flexibility programs, such as renewable energy projects, distributed energy resource programs, demand response initiatives, microgrids, decarbonization efforts, and electrification programs.

Viking Cold Solutions’ Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology consistently achieves positive impacts on business operations, the electricity grid, and the environment.  Beyond its energy demand management and electrical efficiency achievements, TES helps address critical issues like food waste and food insecurity by better preserving food quality while also conserving electricity.  Additionally, TES’s unique ability to store and more efficiently utilize renewable energy assists with efforts to accelerate the decarbonization of the power grid, contributing to a more sustainable energy landscape.  Viking Cold Solutions monitors all sites 24/7/365 to ensure clients’ peace of mind, and all parties can view performance metrics and historical data through the cloud-based portal.

Some examples of demand flexibility and efficiency include the deployment of Viking Cold’s innovative energy technology in regional food banks from coast to coast which resulted in quantifiable and meaningful positive impacts.  By reducing energy costs, TES technology provides hundreds of thousands of additional meals to Americans suffering from food insecurity. This further demonstrates Viking Cold’s commitment to addressing energy and environmental challenges while creating a positive economic and social impact through practical local initiatives.

Viking Cold Solutions builds lasting partnerships with our clients and stays engaged throughout the life of facilities with ongoing data collection, optimization initiatives, and utility incentive programs.  Through these initiatives, TES technology has saved over 44 million kWh of electricity, avoided over 34 thousand tons of GHG emissions, and earned millions of dollars in incentives for our clients.

For further details on the AESP Energy Awards, please visit AESP.

To learn more about Viking Cold’s technology and how it can reduce energy consumption to enhance the sustainability of cold storage facilities, reach out to Viking Cold today!

Frozen Food Month: The Path to Growing Sustainably

March 2, 2023 Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage

In recent years the popularity of frozen food has steadily increased in the United States.  However, during the pandemic, frozen food experienced a surge in demand.  The Food Institute reports that frozen food sales increased by 21%, with the pandemic serving as a major contributing factor to this growth.  The pandemic-induced lockdowns and social distancing measures led to significant changes in people’s eating habits, and many turned to frozen foods for their convenience, long shelf life, nutritional value, and ability to be stored in bulk.


Source: Quartz

Despite a steady increase in dollar sales, unit sales of frozen food fell in 2021 and 2022 by 3.2% and 5.1%, respectively, highlighting the potential impact of inflation on frozen food costs, reported the Food & Beverage Insider.  Notwithstanding these declines, unit sales are still higher than they were before the pandemic, demonstrating that the demand for frozen foods remains strong – in part thanks to millennials who have now become frozen food’s largest consumers.

According to the Food Navigator, older millennial shoppers, who are approaching the age of 40, represent 48% of the consumers of frozen foods.  This generation prioritizes health and wellness and values a wider range of culinary options that use premium ingredients with fewer additives and preservatives.  Alongside nutrition, they also demand convenience and sustainability in their food choices.  With over 3,700 options in the frozen food section, there is something for every taste and lifestyle, notes the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association.

The growing popularity of frozen food has led 29% of consumers to expand their freezer space since the pandemic began, reported the American Frozen Food Institute.  As demand for frozen food products increases, retailers are seeking ways to optimize their freezer sections while also reducing energy consumption for higher quality and more efficient frozen food storage.  Companies like Viking Cold Solutions are helping retailers and distributors to not only improve the efficiency of their cold storage system by up to 50% but also increase facility resiliency.  These advancements indicate a promising and sustainable future for frozen food.

With all the demands on consumers’ lives, the greater convenience and quality of frozen foods meet a growing priority.  The frozen food industry now has innovative new technologies to sustainably address consumers’ needs while reducing energy costs.  Given the challenges of inflation and an unstable economy, it will be interesting to observe the further developments of frozen foods and cold storage technologies over the next few years.

Learn more about Viking Cold’s sustainable Thermal Energy Storage technology here.

Houston Food Bank Will Feed More with Energy Savings

February 6, 2023 Blog Articles, Cold Storage, Energy Storage

The Houston Food Bank distributes over 158 million meals every year to people struggling with hunger.  With the help of more than 1,600 community partners to combat hunger and food insecurity, the Houston Food Bank provides individuals with food assistance as well as programs and services targeted at achieving long-term food stability.

According to the Houston Food Bank, around 1 million people in southeast Texas are food insecure – 1 in 7 people face hunger as well as 1 in 5 children.  Following the pandemic, food insecurity and unemployment increased dramatically.  53 million people sought assistance from food banks and neighborhood programs in 2021 to put food on their table.

To help manage energy costs, the Houston Food Bank is partnering with Viking Cold Solutions and plans to install Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology in their temperature-controlled facilities.  TES systems are a cost-effective way to store and manage the large amounts of energy required by refrigeration equipment in cold storage facilities.

Developed and patented by Viking Cold, the TES system will reduce electrical consumption and demand during peak energy usage hours inside the Houston Food Bank’s cold storage warehouse and will improve temperature stability inside their freezer.  Cold storage facilities, such as frozen food warehouses, have the highest energy demand per cubic foot of any building.  During peak energy use periods, they can account for up to 70 percent of the total electricity bill for organizations.

The TES system’s energy savings will enable the Houston Food Bank to offer thousands of additional meals every year and feed more people.  Viking Cold’s partnership will help the Houston Food Bank better manage its energy usage by providing cutting-edge technology that will benefit the organization and support its mission for many years to come.

Viking Cold Solutions has partnered with food programs across the United States as part of the Feeding America network, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization.  For more information about Viking Cold Solutions’ Thermal Energy Storage systems, click here.

Case Study: USCS Safely Cuts GHG Emissions While Reducing Electrical Costs

January 19, 2023 Blog Articles, Case Studies, Cold Storage

Situation:
United States Cold Storage (USCS) is one of the top refrigerated warehousing and related logistics services companies operating throughout North America.  Their Tulare South facility is a 116,482 square foot frozen food warehouse located in the agriculturally focused Inland Empire of Southern California.  The state of California has committed to reaching a goal of 100% renewable and zero-carbon electricity by 2045, and USCS is just as committed to reducing their energy usage. To help California meet its energy demand reduction goals, USCS set out to focus on energy efficiency and better temperature control in their energy-intensive warehouses.

Challenge:
Operations managers at USCS face daily energy use challenges.  To help alleviate these issues, USCS chose their Tulare South location to explore options with energy-saving technologies.  The goals were to safely meet California’s energy demand reduction initiatives by lowering demand and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also addressing energy-use concerns, decreasing costs, and increasing sustainability and resiliency.

Solution:
USCS adopted Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their energy costs.  Viking Cold Solutions installed energy meters, sensors, and controls throughout Tulare South’s temperature-controlled warehouse to monitor its operations and performance.  Viking Cold then installed energy storage modules containing environmentally friendly Phase Change Material (PCM) which, when combined with cloud-based optimization algorithms, allowed Tulare South to control when and how it uses and procures energy.  The facility’s digitization, energy storage, and cloud-based optimization allows Viking Cold to continuously assess and improve the performance of USCS’s frozen food warehouse.

Outcome:
By utilizing Viking Cold’s TES technology and optimization services, USCS lowered Tulare South’s peak period demand by more than 30% and refrigeration energy consumption by 25%, resulting in an annual carbon footprint reduction of over 350 tons at this facility.  The frozen food warehouse not only increased energy efficiency but also increased temperature stability in the freezer by over 40%, better protecting the food.

Operators of cold storage facilities, businesses with refrigeration loads, and utilities that need to control peak demands on the electrical grid all stand to gain significantly from Thermal Energy Storage.  USCS Tulare South is a prime example of how TES technology effectively lowers energy demand and consumption while improving temperature stability in cold storage facilities.  As a result, operational costs are reduced, product is protected, and environmental effects are minimized.

For a more detailed account of Thermal Energy Storage and its benefits, download the USCS Tulare South Case Study.

 

Viking Cold Receives Top Tech Startup Award

December 20, 2022 Awards, Blog Articles

Viking Cold Solutions has been awarded the first-ever Top Tech Startup Award by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. This award recognizes top software and technology startups in the supply chain and logistics industry.

According to Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive, technology and software companies are leading the way in supply chain innovation. Many of today’s tech startups are positioned to significantly disrupt the supply chain space with their innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics, fulfillment execution, and real-time visibility.

“The future of the supply chain industry is directly impacted by the development of these new technologies, and I’m very excited to see what’s next for these winners,” says editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Marina Mayer.

Viking Cold Solutions is honored to be included amongst the industry’s top disrupters. Our technology empowers solutions and services that significantly reduce GHG emissions, operational costs, and business risk for cold storage operations with high refrigeration-based energy loads. Our focus is to make cold storage systems more sustainable, efficient, and resilient for the world.

To view the full list of Top Tech Startup Award winners, visit the Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive websites.

For more information on Viking Cold’s award-winning technology, and how it can reduce energy consumption and increase the sustainability of your cold storage facilities, contact us today!

 

Isla Frio Partners with Viking Cold for Hurricane Resiliency

September 23, 2022 Blog Articles, Cold Storage

Isla Frio’s cold storage facility, in Cidra on the island of Puerto Rico, was well prepared with a back-up generator and fully charged Thermal Energy Storage (TES) when Hurricane Fiona made landfall on Sunday, September 18th.  The island was overwhelmed by historic amounts of rainfall, ranging from 6 to 20 inches, with some areas receiving over 3 feet of rain from the storm.  As the days progressed, Hurricane Fiona strengthened and left the entire island without power.  Fortunately, the resilient combination of TES and back up generation allowed Isla Frio to maintain their required safe temperatures throughout the storm – and for days longer than other facilities – by running the generator only during the day and turning it off at night to save diesel. In fact, diesel consumption was reduced by over 50% and extended the time the generator could run from 6 days to over 12 days.

Chart 1 – Isla Frio’s Main Freezer Temperature from September 5 – 23
Source: Viking Cold Solutions’ Cold Chain PortalTM

In Chart 1, the change to the temperature settings to a -10 Fahrenheit setpoint before the hurricane is clear on September the 10th.  This provided fully charged Thermal Energy Storage to work intermittently with Isla Frio’s generator and allowed Isla Frio to maintain safe temperatures throughout the hurricane without products ever passing -5 degrees Fahrenheit – even without any power.  Isla Frio kept their clients’ products safe and were immediately able to help feed the people of Puerto Rico during their time of need.  As a trusted partner to dozens of Puerto Rico’s food storage and distribution businesses, Viking Cold Solutions was there before Hurricane Fiona, during the storm, and now to help the island recover by providing resilient, safe, and energy efficient temperature control technology.

Chart 2 – Isla Frio’s Cooler & Freezer Temperatures from September 18 – 23


Source: Viking Cold Solutions’ Cold Chain PortalTM

Isla Frio’s TES system maintained facility temperatures day after day, as pictured in Chart 2, even when there was no power available by providing supplemental refrigeration and intelligent control.  The TES technology reduced temperature stratification and cut temperature fluctuations while absorbing and consolidating 50% to 85% of heat infiltration.  Our 24/7 remote monitoring and notification service kept our clients at Isla Frio well informed about their facility during the storm and provided valuable data for effective decision making.

As Hurricane Fiona churns its way past Bermuda, Viking Cold Solutions was already there working with our clients to again weather the storm.  We’re relieved that our Puerto Rico clients are recovering quickly with our resilient technology and look forward to helping more businesses get through extreme weather and manage expensive, intermittent electricity.  Whether it’s a hurricane, equipment failure, forest fires, or other natural or man-made disasters, Viking Cold Solutions’ resilient sustainability technology is there to help.  For more information about how our TES technology can help your facility, click here.

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