Solar energy storage technology for cold storage and supermarkets launched in Australia

PRESS RELEASE

HOUSTON, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ 

U.S. innovator partners with Australian businesses to launch technology to harness solar energy to cut costs and carbon emissions of cold storage facilities and supermarkets. 

Viking Cold Solutions(TM), a leading provider of Thermal Energy Management solutions for cold storage facilities and supermarkets, has today announced the launch of Solar Energy Storage(TM) at the Refrigerated Warehouse and Transportation Association Conference in Queensland, Australia.

The system combines Viking Cold’s patented Thermal Energy Storage System with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) to deliver green, cost-effective, around-the-clock energy management for cold storage facilities, supermarkets, and utilities. The system can reduce electricity peak demand by up to 90 percent, save customers money, and helps balance the electricity grid. 

The technology enables cold-storage facilities and supermarkets to intelligently store and selectively deploy PV generated power within refrigerators to reduce energy costs.  Originally developed by NASA, the patented Thermal Energy Storage Cells are now used to absorb infiltrated heat so that food remains at its target temperature. This environmentally friendly solution solves some of the largest challenges of solar energy by extending the useful time for solar power and by reducing renewable variability.

Viking Cold’s Solar Energy Storage solution comes at a key time for Australia.  33% of electricity in South Australia is generated from renewable sources and it has set an aggressive target of 50% renewable generation by 2025.  “Viking Cold’s Solar Energy Storage solution can help Australia meet its renewable energy targets while helping to balance the grid by reducing peak demand,” said James Bell, CEO of Viking Cold Solutions. “As renewable penetration grows, it will ultimately overwhelm the ability of conventional resources to compensate for renewable variability.”

Renewable generation combined with Viking Cold’s Solar Energy Storage(TM) provides multiple advantages for both businesses and grid operators:

   — Increase the value of PV – Store solar energy during the day and use it 
      for refrigeration at night 

   — Cost-effectiveness and system longevity – Renewable generation and 
      Viking Cold’s Solar Energy Storage are low-cost and are designed to 
      last for at least 20 years with minimal maintenance 

   — Lower peak demand charges – Peak load shedding or shifting on command 
      avoids peak rate times 

   — Reduce operational risk – Thermal backup allows customers to maintain 
      safe temperatures and preserve food quality during equipment failure or 
      power outages, reducing food loss and business interruption 

   — Buffer for Utilities – Utilities benefit from Viking Cold’s Solar 
      Energy Storage solution by providing a “buffer” of on-demand, 
      efficient, and environmentally friendly thermal energy storage at 
      customer sites 

   — Economic development – Viking Cold’s Solar Energy Storage boosts the 
      local economy by using local engineering and labor 

To learn more, please watch Viking Cold’s 90 second video (https://vimeo.com/164139041 ) which explains how the technology works.