For commercial and industrial refrigeration projects (cold rooms, cold stores, process cooling) — not household fridges, home freezers or appliance repair. Results are planning estimates, not engineering design or safety advice; a qualified refrigeration engineer must confirm sizing before purchase.
Planning tool
Cold Storage OPEX Estimator
Estimate the annual running cost of a cold store — electricity, maintenance, monitoring and labour — before you commit to a design. Use it to compare temperature classes, plant efficiency levels and tariff scenarios.
Estimated annual OPEX
Average plant load
216.4 kW
Electricity
1,895,524 kWh/yr
Energy cost
USD 227,463
Maintenance
USD 40,943
Monitoring & controls
USD 4,900
Labour
USD 36,000
Total annual OPEX
USD 309,306
Cost per m³ / year
USD 77.3
Planning range: USD 262,910 – USD 386,633 per year, reflecting envelope quality, door discipline and load profile variation.
ColdMatch Group is a supplier-neutral procurement platform — not a manufacturer, contractor or lender.
Estimates Only: This calculator is provided for general informational purposes only. Results are approximate and may contain errors, omissions, or outdated information. They do not constitute legal, financial, engineering, tax, technical, or professional advice. Users are solely responsible for independently verifying all calculations, specifications, prices, regulations, and requirements with qualified professionals before making any decisions. By using this calculator, you acknowledge that the website owners, operators, and affiliates accept no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, or decisions resulting from its use.
≈ 1.9 GWh per year of refrigeration electricity (≈ 216 kW ≈ 61 TR average) before maintenance, monitoring and labour.
Limitations
• Uses a continuous average load, not hourly simulation; demand charges and time-of-use tariffs are not modelled.
• Maintenance as a share of power cost is a rule of thumb — older plants and ammonia systems differ.
• Lighting, forklifts charging, offices and dock heating are excluded.
Illustrative planning result only. Confirm the final design, duty, equipment selection and performance with a qualified refrigeration engineer and supplier quotation.
Buyer questions
What does this cold storage OPEX estimator include?
Electricity for refrigeration, planned maintenance, monitoring and a labour allowance for facility operation. It excludes rent, insurance, transport, product losses and financing costs.
How accurate is the electricity estimate?
It is an early-stage planning figure based on typical specific energy consumption per cubic metre for each temperature class, adjusted for ambient, traffic and plant efficiency. Real consumption depends on the envelope, door discipline, load profile and controls, so a measured or engineered figure is required before investment decisions.
Why is running cost so sensitive to temperature class?
Lower storage temperature increases the lift between evaporating and condensing conditions, so each kilowatt of cooling costs more electricity to deliver. Moving from chilled to deep-frozen can roughly triple specific energy consumption per cubic metre.
Can ColdMatch help reduce running cost on an existing facility?
ColdMatch helps buyers structure a retrofit or efficiency RFQ so suppliers quote comparable scope and measurable outcomes. ColdMatch is an independent sourcing and RFQ platform, not a contractor, manufacturer or energy services company.
Send these inputs to an RFQ
Your size, cost and load inputs are copied into the quote form, so you don't type them twice. Nothing is sent until you review and submit.
Free for buyers, no obligation. These figures are estimates, not quotes — our team reviews your request and contacts suitable suppliers on your behalf.
Send your requirements. A ColdMatch specialist reviews every request, prepares a brief and introduces suitable suppliers — free for buyers.
Buyer guide · planning estimate
Turning operating cost estimates into a supplier comparison
The OPEX estimator models annual running cost from energy, maintenance and other inputs you enter. Use it to compare design options on lifetime cost, not only on purchase price.
How to read your result
Energy is usually the largest variable cost; check your tariff input
Run the same inputs for each supplier's stated power draw
Treat maintenance as a budget assumption until a service contract is priced
Put these in your RFQ
Ask for rated power at your design conditions
Request expected annual energy use with assumptions stated
Request a priced preventive maintenance plan
Ask for spare parts lead times locally
Commercial projects from USD 250,000: ColdMatch reviews your brief and introduces suitable independent suppliers. Results here are planning estimates, not quotations.
No. It is a planning estimate from your own inputs and the published method on this page. Supplier prices depend on site survey, specification, freight, duties and local installation, so use the result to set scope and budget expectations, then compare reviewed supplier proposals.
Why compare OPEX before choosing a supplier?
A cheaper plant with higher energy use can cost more over its life. Comparing each proposal on the same OPEX assumptions shows the real difference.
Which electricity price should I use?
Use your actual or expected tariff, including demand charges where they apply. The electricity cost calculator can help break this down.
