Orange electric utility United Illuminating has purchased two Ice Bear storage systems as part of a pilot project to see how electricity demand can be curtailed.
UI bought the systems using funds from the Energize Connecticut initiative, which is paid for by ratepayers to increase energy efficiency in the state. The Ice Bears will be installed at two undisclosed customers’ locations.
The Ice Bear is made California-based Ice Energy. The product stores energy at night when demand for electricity is lower and then releases that energy into air conditioning systems when it is demanded.
The pilot program testing the effectiveness of these systems will run through the summer. The University of New Haven is monitoring the results.
At the end of the pilot project, the two systems will be owned by the two UI customers where they were installed.
