background image

An innovative "ice battery" system is being used to cool buildings and lower energy costs

author image

By illuminem briefings

· 3 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on CBS News or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A Manhattan skyscraper is using an innovative "ice battery" system to cut energy costs and reduce grid strain
• Installed by Trane Technologies at Eleven Madison, the system produces 500,000 pounds of ice overnight — when electricity is cheaper — and uses it to cool the building during peak demand hours
• Trane reports up to 40% savings on cooling costs, marking a scalable model for more sustainable urban energy use

🔭 The context: Air conditioning represents 20% of global building energy use and can surge to over 70% of demand during peak summer hours
• Current infrastructure strains under such loads, often requiring costly standby power plants
Thermal storage systems like ice batteries offer a solution by shifting energy use away from peak times
• Despite installations at 4,000 sites worldwide, uptake remains low in the U.S., with only a small share of the 6 million commercial buildings equipped with such systems

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reducing peak electricity demand limits the need for fossil-fuel-intensive power generation and infrastructure expansion
• Ice batteries and next-generation thermal storage solutions can significantly cut emissions associated with cooling, particularly as global temperatures rise and demand increases
• However, scaling remains a challenge due to energy-intensive freezing processes and technology costs — prompting research into more efficient thermal materials

⏭️ What's next: Researchers like Dr. Patrick Shamberger are exploring alternatives that use modified water-based materials to store thermal energy at higher temperatures, potentially improving efficiency and suitability for diverse climates
• Rising electricity costs — projected to reach a U.S. summer average of $784 — are likely to accelerate interest in cost-saving technologies
• Broader deployment in residential settings remains in early stages but is under active development

💬 One quote: “We don't want to build a whole bunch of excess power plants to just sit around… It's a lot of capital investment that doesn't get used,” — Dr. Patrick Shamberger of Texas A&M

📈 One stat: Air conditioning can account for more than 70% of electricity use during peak hours on the hottest days, according to the International Energy Agency

Click for more news covering the latest on battery tech and sustianable architecture 

Did you enjoy this illuminem voice? Support us by sharing this article!
author photo

About the author

illuminem's editorial team, providing you with concise summaries of the most important sustainability news of the day. Follow us on Linkedin, Twitter​ & Instagram

Other illuminem Voices


Related Posts


You cannot miss it!

Weekly. Free. Your Top 10 Sustainability & Energy Posts.

You can unsubscribe at any time (read our privacy policy)