Technical Assistance for NewCold’s Fully Automated Cold Storage Warehouse

NewCold, an integrated service operator in cold chain logistics, recently expanded to the US, completing a long-term frozen storage facility in Tacoma, WA. The cold store, designed to hold 100,000 pallets, relies on a sophisticated automation system including multiple cranes, shuttles and conveyors to place and pull palletized product without lights in a low oxygen environment.

The most innovative efficiency measure is the design and automation of the high bay, which saves a significant amount of heat transmission across the envelope by optimizing the ratio between internal storage volume and external surface area. Additional efficiency measures included an advanced refrigeration control system, variable speed operation of compressors, air unit fans and condenser fans, high efficiency compressor oil cooling, optimally sized heat exchangers, high thermal resistance shell components, dock slip improvements to reduce infiltration and high efficiency lighting.

Energy 350 worked closely with Tacoma Power and Bonneville Power Administration’s Energy Smart Industrial Program to define high efficiency measures for the refrigeration system as well as quantify energy savings for the purposes of providing financial incentives from the electric utility. Incentives were a necessary component for the owner to implement the high efficiency options as the reduced payback and improved ROI were essential for NewCold’s business case.

Annual energy saved over a code compliant baseline case have been verified in excess of

This saved the owner over

Utility-provided financial incentives of $1.5 million reduced the simple payback to less than one year.