Cold Storage & Warehouse

The cost that eats 60–70% of your budget is the one you can control.

In a refrigerated warehouse, energy isn't overhead — it's the single largest line on the P&L. Power turns it into permanent OpEx reduction that flows straight to NOI, protects inventory from every outage, and lifts the value of the asset itself.

Book a 30-minute conversation → Read the 2026 benchmark →
Facility photo — refrigerated warehouse / rooftop array

The problem · why cold storage is different

Energy share of OpEx
60–70%
Energy's share of total operating cost in a refrigerated warehouse.
Source: industry data
Electricity intensity
4×
Electricity per sq ft vs. a conventional warehouse — ~24.9 kWh/ft².
Source: EIA / CBECS
Demand charges
>70%
Share of the electricity bill that demand charges can reach from refrigeration cycling.
Source: DOE / industry data

The opportunity

Same building. A more valuable one.

From our 2026 Cold Storage Energy & Resiliency Benchmark — a modeled refrigerated facility, before and after an integrated Power program.

10-year EBITDA advantage
$12M+
Cumulative EBITDA gain over ten years of operation.
Source: Power · 2026 Cold Storage Benchmark
Immediate valuation lift
$14.5M
Day-one increase in asset value, capitalized at a 6.25% cap rate.
Source: Power · 2026 Cold Storage Benchmark

See the full model, assumptions, and method.

Read the 2026 benchmark →

What we deliver for cold storage

01 · Generation

Rooftop & carport solar

Acres of flat roof above a high, steady load — the best solar economics in commercial real estate. Own, lease, or PPA.

02 · Demand

Demand-charge management

Pre-cooling and storage shift refrigeration load off peak windows, cutting the demand charges that can top 70% of the bill.

03 · Storage

Battery & ice thermal storage

Store cheap energy and cold, then ride through peaks and outages — turning load flexibility into demand-response revenue.

04 · Resilience

Backup power that protects inventory

One outage can write off a building of product. We keep refrigeration online when the grid fails — spoilage math that pays for itself.

05 · Efficiency

Refrigeration & power quality

Ammonia retrofit efficiency, AIM Act / HFC phase-down readiness, and harmonization that cuts waste across the plant.

06 · Reporting

Carbon & compliance monitoring

Scope 2 tracking and portfolio reporting for the customer ESG asks and industrial-REIT disclosures you already face.

Questions cold-storage operators ask

Straight answers, in numbers.

How much can solar save a refrigerated warehouse?
Because energy is 60–70% of operating cost and the roof sits above a high, constant load, refrigerated warehouses have some of the strongest commercial-solar economics in real estate. Savings depend on roof area, utility rate, and demand-charge structure — our 30-minute model gives you the specific number for your site.
What's the ROI and payback on cold storage solar?
With the federal Investment Tax Credit, depreciation, and demand-charge reduction stacked together, payback typically lands in a few years — after which the savings are pure margin. Our calculator and benchmark model show the full ten-year EBITDA and valuation picture.
How do demand charges affect cold storage — and can we cut them?
Refrigeration compressors cycling on at the same time spike your peak demand, and demand charges can reach over 70% of the bill. Pre-cooling, battery storage, and ice thermal storage shift that load off peak windows and cut the charge directly.
Can on-site power protect inventory during an outage?
Yes — and the spoilage math is the easiest ROI in the building. A single extended outage can write off an entire facility of product. An integrated solar-plus-storage system with backup keeps refrigeration running through grid events.
What about the AIM Act and ammonia refrigeration?
The AIM Act's HFC phase-down is pushing operators toward efficient, low-GWP refrigeration. We pair refrigeration efficiency retrofits with on-site generation so compliance and cost reduction happen in one project, not two.

Go deeper

Pillar guide

Cold Storage & Warehouse Energy Playbook

The definitive guide to cutting energy cost and building resiliency in refrigerated facilities.

 Benchmark

The 2026 Cold Storage Benchmark

$12M+ EBITDA advantage and $14.5M valuation lift, modeled end to end.

 Calculator

ROI & NOI calculator

Model the OpEx you can cut and the value it creates for your facility.

The conversation

See the numbers for your facility.

In 30 minutes we'll model the OpEx you can cut, the NOI you can lift, and the spoilage risk you can retire — specific to your building.

Book a 30-minute conversation → Or run the ROI & NOI calculator →