Ice Energy to deliver residential storage solution to Southern California utility

Storage provider Ice Energy has signed a contract with the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) to provide its innovative Ice Bear 20 ice battery system for use in up to 100 residential locations.

February 9, 2017 Mark Hutchins

Image: Eugene Zelenko/Wikimedia Commons

Ice Energy will replace the outdoor condensing unit of the air conditioning systems at selected homes within the area covered by SCPPA with its product. Homeowners will assume ownership of the new systems, which are backed by a five-year warranty.

The order could potentially add 1 MW of new storage to the SCPPA network, reducing the peak demand from air conditioning and improving energy efficiency.

Ice Energy’s patented battery technology works by making and storing ice during off-peak hours, then using the stored ice to cool buildings during peak hours. The Ice Bear 20 is a smaller version of the Ice Bear 30, which has provided cooling to commercial and industrial buildings since 2008.

The company says that their battery can reduce electricity required for cooling by 95% for up to 6 hours a day.

“The SCPPA program is an excellent vehicle for demonstrating the grid value of using ice batteries to control residential AC load while keeping customers as cool as they want,” says Ice Energy CEO Mike Hopkins. “It’s a win for utilities, who will be able to mitigate residential peak demand, and it’s a win for homeowners who’ll benefit from a clean and highly efficient cooling system.”

Installations will be performed by local contractors and will begin in the second half of the year, expecting to be completed by the year-end. Performance will then be monitored and results reported to SCPPA for further evaluation.

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