Vallarta Supermarkets to Launch 2nd Energy Recovery Device

Vallarta Supermarkets and Energy Recovery have revealed plans for the installation of a PX G1300 energy recovery device at the grocer’s store in Salinas, Calif. This move comes after Vallarta installed its first such device in an existing CO₂ refrigeration system at the Hispanic grocer’s Indio, Calif., store – the first commercial deployment of the device – where the PX G1300 drove 30% energy efficiency over the system’s adiabatic cooler, according to the companies.

“We are thrilled with the results we have seen in our Indio store,” affirmed Sandie Nunez, Vallarta’s store development manager. “We are continually looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption and emissions as part of our sustainability goals.”

[Read more: “Keeping Things Cool When It’s Hot”]

Vallarta augmented its Salinas CO₂ system with the PX G1300 to provide a safeguard against increasingly frequent heat waves and to lower energy costs.

“The PX G1300 has made our CO₂ refrigeration system more cost-effective and energy efficient, reducing our emissions while mitigating the impact of summer heat waves,” added Steve Goh, Vallarta’ director of energy management and sustainability.

The PX G1300 is an application of Energy Recovery’s pressure exchanger (PX) technology, which recycles pressure energy and redistributes it throughout the system to save energy, lower costs, and reduce waste and emissions. Many companies are currently transitioning from HFC refrigeration systems towards CO₂, and upgrading CO₂ systems with the PX G1300 can increase design temperature by up to 11° Fahrenheit, enabling supermarkets to increase system stability during high heat events. 

“Our continued partnership with Vallarta Supermarkets underscores the value of the PX G1300 to supermarkets, and particularly its strong performance in high temperatures,” noted KC Chen,VP of CO₂ at San Leandro, Calif.-based Energy Recovery. “Indio is in the desert of Southern California, where the average summer temperature is above 100°F. With the PX G1300, 111° F will feel like 100° F to a CO₂ system – a meaningful difference that allows supermarkets to stay open during a heat wave without breaking the bank on energy costs and maintenance.” 

Founded in 1985, Pacoima, Calif.-based Vallarta is an independent grocery chain with 53 locations throughout California.