Oct 12

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Firm to Help Cool California

October 12, 2005

A Windsor company is helping 11 southern California municipal electric utilities that are considering a new twist on an old-fashioned coolant -- ice -- to help reduce peak electricity demand during hot summer months.

Air conditioners are the root cause of California's peak energy problem. During peak times on hot summer days, up to 70 percent of California's electricity demand comes from air conditioners, according to the California Energy Commission.

According to a press release, the municipal utilities are working with Ice Energy®of Windsor to install 10 Ice Bear®air conditioners at test sites in Anaheim, Azusa, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Riverside, Los Angeles and within the Imperial Irrigation District. The power authority is providing $100,000 to purchase and install the systems.

Ice Energy's® products shift the largest component of residential and commercial peak demand -- air conditioning -- from expensive ''on-peak'' times of the day to ''off-peak'' periods, when energy is less expensive and less polluting.

As mid-afternoon temperatures rise, so does customer demand for air conditioning. This peak demand calls into service more expensive power generators and congests the electric supply grid similar to how cars congest rush- hour freeways.

Ice Energy®has pioneered an economical, off-the-shelf energy-storage device that shifts an air conditioner's demand for electricity from sweltering days to cool nights.

Residential and commercial customers continue to use air conditioners as they always have with Ice Energy's® air-conditioning technology. The difference is how air-conditioned comfort is provided and when energy is consumed.

Ice Energy's® concept is simple and reliable.

Using lower-priced, off-peak electricity at night -- instead of higher-priced peak electricity during the day -- the Ice Bear®air conditioner, which is designed for commercial buildings and larger homes, stores "cool" energy in the form of ice. In essence, Ice Energy's® products are cool thermal batteries that are charged at night and discharged during peak hours of the day.

Over the coming months, power authority officials will monitor how well the Ice Bear®operates in different climate zones and in buildings of various sizes.

The 11 municipalities, which together serve 2 million customers, are members of the Southern California Public Power Authority.