Ice Energy and Trane Partner to Ease Peak Power Loads With Ice

April 8, 2008 – Vol.13 No.3

Ice Energy and Trane Partner to Ease Peak Power Loads With Ice.

Ice Energy (R), a provider of hybrid cooling technologies, and Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and comprehensive facility solutions, will retrofit commercial buildings within Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) territory with advanced cooling systems that include Ice Energy’s Ice Bear (R) unit, that shifts air conditioning load to off-peak hours.

In the installations the Ice Bear unit will store ice made with the assistance of Trane’s air conditioning equipment during off-peak hours. During peak periods, when air conditioning demand is high, the ice in the Ice Bear unit will be used to help cool the building.

The companies will install the systems under PG&E’s recently implemented permanent load shifting (PLS) program known as ‘Shift & Save.’ The program is expected to reduce peak demand by up to 1.2 MW. Participating bundled service customers will receive rebates for the installations, in addition to the savings they will receive from reduced power consumption at peak times.

“The partnership between Ice Energy, Trane and PG&E represents one of the first major initiatives by California that shifts load from air conditioners,” said Frank Ramirez, CEO of Ice Energy. “With Trane, we’re offering a comprehensive solution that makes building occupants more comfortable while being responsible to the power grid and the environment.”

Trane will provide turnkey system design, installation, measurement and verification, controls and post-installation preventative maintenance services for each installed system, along with training for customers and subcontractors. The PLS systems are mechanical cooling systems that operate and use electricity at night, during off-peak hours, to store thermal energy - ice in the Ice Bear unit - when electricity is in low demand and offered at a lower cost for the customer. The stored thermal energy is then utilized by the customer to satisfy the cooling load during the day, or during peak hours, when electricity is in the highest demand and at the highest cost to the customer.

Ice Energy, of Windsor, Colorado, manufactures and markets a Ice Storage Air Conditioner (ISAC) product line for residential and commercial applications that addresses the increasing demand for electricity. Ice Energy’s technology can slashes peak energy demand needed for cooling by 95 percent.

Trane Inc. provides heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and services for homes and buildings around the world. Trane’s 2007 annual revenues were approximately $7.45 billion and the company has about 29,600 employees worldwide. On Dec. 17, 2007, Trane announced that it had entered into an agreement to be acquired by Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited. (4/7/08)

Links:

Ice Energy
http://www.ice-energy.com

Trane
http://www.trane.com

Think Ice For Energy Storage

Ice Energy Provides Hybrid Cooling Systems For Facilities In Southern California.

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No