Viking Cold Solutions, a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) provider for the low-temperature cold storage industry, announced its partnership with Red de Frios to manage energy usage in one of its 2,500-square-foot frozen food warehouses at Almacén Ruíz Cortines in Monterrey, Mexico.
Viking’s patented TES system reduces overall electricity consumption and shifts energy usage to less expensive periods of the day. This project is the first of its kind in Mexico, the second-largest economy in Latin America, and marks the first installation of Viking’s technology in Latin America outside of the Caribbean.
The system was configured to operate specifically for Red de Frios’ utility rate structure and facility requirements. During July, August, and September, some of the warmest months of the year, Red de Frios has seen a 20% reduction in energy consumption due to the TES system’s added efficiency. Additionally, during daily periods of high energy costs when refrigeration equipment is cycled off, Red de Frios has seen a slower increase in temperatures and greater temperature stability.
Red de Frios is dedicated to the storage, conservation, and distribution of frozen, refrigerated and dried products. The company has three storage centers; two in Monterrey and one more in Guadalajara. With 92,000 cubic meters of storage chambers and a fleet of more than 30 units.
“Mexico’s cold storage industry is challenged by high peak period energy prices, which can represent up to 70% of a cold storage provider’s operational costs,” said James Bell, CEO of Viking. “This makes a meaningful business impact when industrial energy prices are already 25% higher than those of their American competitors. With our thermal energy storage technology, Viking Cold helps companies like Red de Frios reduce energy costs and better protect the quality of the food they store.”
The Viking TES systems provide operators the flexibility to adjust their operations to respond to utility tariff changes over time while improving temperature stability.
“Managing our electricity usage and maintaining the temperature requirements of our customers is a challenge with increasing energy costs and changing time-of-use rate structures. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce power consumption and add flexibility, which is exactly what Viking Cold’s TES system does,” said Arturo Martinez, president and CEO of Red de Frios. “Now we can choose when to purchase power while maintaining our temperatures. With this success, we plan to expand TES technology into other locations.”
For additional information, visit www.vikingcold.com.
