Ice Energy Introduces Ice Bear 20, an Ice Battery That Manages Residential Cooling Load for Utilities
SANTA BARBARA, CA–(Marketwired – Feb 2, 2016) – Ice Energy, the leading provider of distributed thermal energy storage solutions, has introduced the Ice Bear 20 — a smaller-capacity version of its flagship Ice Bear system. The new system combines Ice Energy’s patented thermal storage and smart-grid technology with integrated cooling, enabling utilities to control residential cooling load and reduce peak demand by up to 95% for up to four hours. It also allows increased load during periods of solar over-generation, while providing homeowners the cooling they desire.
The Ice Bear 20 is ideally suited for residential and small commercial applications. In residential applications, it seamlessly integrates with the HVAC systems of new or existing homes.
“The Ice Bear 20 is a uniquely cost-effective, reliable and green energy storage system that transforms residential AC load into a clean, flexible and responsive grid resource for utilities while providing cooling comfort for homeowners,” said Mike Hopkins, CEO of Ice Energy. “It incorporates the same technology as our proven Ice Bear 30, with the added benefit of an integrated cooling and storage system. With Ice Bear 20s and Ice Bear 30s in place, almost any part of the grid with peak demand or solar over-generation issues can be reliably and cost-effectively addressed by utilities, all while reducing CO2 emissions.”
Ice Energy’s flagship product, called the Ice Bear 30, is a thermal battery that attaches to one or more standard 5 to 20-ton commercial AC units. During off-peak hours, both the Ice Bear 30 and the Ice Bear 20 freeze water to store cooling energy; as it makes ice, the Ice Bear 20 can also deliver cooling to the home, resulting in 24/7 comfort to residents. During peak hours, stored ice provides up to four hours of cooling using only 5% of the power that otherwise would have been required. Both Ice Bear systems can be deployed in smart grid-enabled, megawatt-scale fleets, with installation as easy as a standard AC system.
Ice Energy also offers a unique solar-plus-ice storage solution that integrates distributed solar resources into the grid and maximizes on-site solar energy.
