Ice Energy, a leader in thermal energy storage and grid-scale solutions for permanent peak load-shifting, has hit several key milestones with its 25.6 MWh Southern California Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Thermal Storage Project.
The company announced it surpassed five years of successful operations through its utility-scale program with Southern California Edison. The project, which includes over 100 customer sites, has provided over 45 GWh of capacity since it opened.
Customers have seen utility bill savings of up to 20% by utilizing power during off-peak hours, when electricity rates are cheaper or when demand charges aren’t applicable.
Ice Energy’s Ice Bear helps reduce pressure on the grid through load-shifting across the 100 sites in Orange County; this has been critical in reducing the net peak electricity demand on the grid and facilitating the deployment of more renewable energy.
“Increasing electricity demand during peak cooling times is straining California’s electrical grid,” said Joe Raasch, Director of Operations at Ice Energy, in a statement. “By 2050, the IEA predicts that one-third of peak electricity demand will be for air conditioning which has been cited as a contributor to blackout events. At Ice Energy, we are proud to support the efficient, consistent functioning of Southern California’s power grid while supporting the deployment of renewable energy and look forward to continue working together with Southern California Edison on this important program for years to come.”
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