Air conditioning and heating manufacturer Trane is to equip select commercial rooftop models for integration with energy storage systems sold by Ice Energy.
An agreement between the two companies will see Trane products, ranging from four to 20 tons, shipped ready to work with the Ice Bear energy storage systems. These products will target small and mid-sized commercial buildings.
The companies said the combined systems will help customers reduce on-peak electricity demand and increase energy efficiency.
“They can now take advantage of more efficient nighttime power to provide daytime cooling, which can lower energy costs without impacting occupants’ comfort,” Trane’s director of sourced product development, Tom Troyanek, said.
The two companies say they will also work on developing new high-efficiency air conditioning systems for key national customers.
The Ice Bear system stores energy by freezing water at night in a storage tank. During the day, the stored energy is dispatched to cool the building, while during off-peak hours, the conventional heating and air system operates as normal.
The Southern California Public Power Authoirty last year announced plans for a 53 MW energy storage project using Ice Energy technology.
Trane parent company Ingersoll-Rand has saved more than $4 million in energy costs since implementing an energy audit program in 2005, according to a case study by the Department of Energy.
Last month the company and 12 others reached a proposed $12 million settlement with federal and Indiana authorities for the cleanup of an Indiana Superfund site. The 30-day comment period for that agreement is now underway.
