Automated Warehouses and Logistics Facilities: Always-On Operations
Logistics facilities are undergoing rapid electrification and automation to meet consumer demands and expectations
Robotics, automated workflows, high-speed conveyors and electrified forklifts demand more electricity. Cold storage warehouses, with their continuous refrigeration requirements, are even more power-intensive.
The result is a new generation of “high-power warehouses” capable of drawing several megawatts at peak demand. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy use in distribution centers has shifted. Once dominated by lighting and heating, most consumption now comes from process and auxiliary equipment, including automation and charging systems. These critical investments improve speed, accuracy and reliability across supply chains. Sustaining this momentum requires one constant: reliable power.
Most consumption now comes from process and auxiliary equipment, including automation and charging systems.
Building energy management systems (EMSs) with submetering allows operators to monitor and optimize usage.
Even short outages can halt sortation systems or damage perishable goods. Many facilities now deploy backup generation or uninterruptible power systems, and some integrate solar-plus-battery or cogeneration units for additional resilience. Building energy management systems (EMSs) with submetering allows operators to monitor and optimize usage, shifting flexible loads like AGV charging to off-peak times.
As with fleets and data centers, warehouse operators increasingly use temporary generation to bridge gaps while utilities complete grid upgrades. This hybrid approach ensures facilities remain operational while utilities complete necessary upgrades.
