The food and beverage industry is under mounting pressure to deliver consistent, reliable food and beverage cooling while keeping energy costs and carbon emissions in check. From dairies to breweries, cold stores to food manufacturers, the reliance on chilled water systems is critical—and costly. Enter EnergiVault: a game-changing cold thermal energy storage system designed by O-Hx that’s rapidly gaining ground across the sector.
Cooling, particularly in food processing, is no longer just about performance—it’s about resilience, sustainability, and economics. Many operators are battling with rising electricity prices, especially during peak daytime tariffs when cooling demand is highest. Add to that the stress placed on equipment from frequent stop-start cycles and you’ve got a recipe for inefficiency and increased maintenance.
EnergiVault addresses all of this—head on.
By shifting energy consumption from peak to off-peak periods and storing cold energy for later use, EnergiVault allows sites to run chillers overnight when electricity is cheaper and grid carbon intensity is lower. This stored energy is then released during the day to meet cooling loads, all without overworking the chillers themselves.
Why EnergiVault is Changing Food and Beverage Cooling
“Chillers are often sized for the worst-case scenario,” explains the O-Hx engineering team. “This leads to frequent short-cycling—starting and stopping far too often—which damages compressors, increases maintenance, and shortens equipment life. EnergiVault breaks that cycle.”
The technology’s impact is already being felt across several sectors:
Dairies are reducing reliance on oversized chillers while cutting electricity bills and carbon emissions.
Breweries are enhancing process reliability by balancing cooling loads intelligently across the day.
Cold storage operators are using EnergiVault to avoid peak energy surcharges while ensuring optimal temperatures for perishables.
EnergiVault supports food and beverage cooling systems by making them more efficient and less reliant on high-tariff daytime energy. It helps maintain temperatures without frequent compressor strain, reducing both energy use and wear.
And the benefits go beyond operational improvements. In many cases, EnergiVault systems have achieved payback periods of less than four years, thanks to significant reductions in energy spend and improved equipment longevity.
Crucially, EnergiVault’s modularity allows for tailored installations, whether you need 1MWh or 5MWh of storage, charged over a few hours or throughout the night. It’s a flexible solution built for the real-world pressures of food production.
As the food and beverage industry continues to evolve—with sustainability targets tightening and energy markets fluctuating—EnergiVault is offering businesses a powerful, cost-effective route to greener, more resilient operations. It’s a smart upgrade for food and beverage cooling in a changing world.
