Refrigerated Warehouse/Plant Automated Energy Scheduling, Optimization and Control

Optimize central plant efficiency for industrial refrigerated warehouses. Then analyze the data and determine control changes that will minimize compressor operation and maximize plant output. Install sensors through warehouse to understand air flow and thermal distribution within each refrigerated space to maintain product quality and safety.

This report summarizes the outcomes of the assessment efforts designated as “Field Assessment of Optimized Controls for a Cold Storage Facility in Oxnard, CA”. The facility is a large refrigeration warehouse, considered the largest energy use cold storage facility in SCE’s service territory. Baseline site energy use reflects an annual consumption of 16,372,939 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and maximum demand of 5,833 kilowatts (kW). The end use market is process loads for commercial and industrial, based on a whole-building approach, with an assumed central control system. The assessment established baseline usage from SCE meter data, and estimated 23% potential avoided energy and 50% demand reduction based on using a range of potential control strategies available from a centralized control platform. The wider market has multiple control vendors who can provide a range of similar integrated strategies.