Unlocking Savings: Battery Storage and Chilled Water Solutions for Modern Buildings

Back then, in the 20th century, the application of large electrical battery storage systems was not considered part of the TES concept. Instead, cogeneration was the electrical response to energy management.

Now, in the 21st century, electric battery storage can be a viable option for building owners. But let’s not forget the time-tested TES of major chilled water systems, especially for those facilities that don’t operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Readers may relate more to electrical battery storage than chilled water storage because their automobiles have batteries to draw from to start the engine. This electrical energy is stored in the automobile’s battery, ready to be used with the turn of a key or the push of a start button. An alternator assists in recharging the car battery once the automobile has started.

In lieu of an alternator, building owners may or may not clearly understand that the inner workings of an electrical battery storage facility’s recharging process can also involve capturing or collecting electrical energy from solar panels, wind turbines, and/or generators for use at a later time.

HVAC contractors, especially those firms with a service department and a list of repeat clients, have an opportunity to provide proactive proposals and solutions today for their customers to reduce electrical consumption and demand. “Better late than never” applies to doing something about today’s energy management crisis and the years to come. When managing building utilities, service contractors should request an opportunity to discuss energy storage with their clients. Whether it’s this year’s operating budget or a proposed future operation and maintenance capital project, HVAC contractors should consider an open forum or roundtable discussion with repeat clients to discuss energy storage opportunities. While utility rebates and government grants may not be available, an open discussion among experienced facility managers often results in creative solutions to chronic operating costs that will deliver a return on investment and/or a creative end-of-equipment service life solution that can make the next generation of building infrastructure better and more efficient than the facility’s current equipment.

Both battery storage and TES are proven energy management solutions that take advantage of storing electricity and/or ice for later use. Electric solar panels provide electrical energy during the day, diverting excess kilowatts to the battery storage equipment for future HVAC energy consumption. Wind turbines can provide electrical energy anytime the wind is blowing – e.g., at 12 miles per hour – diverting excess kilowatts to the battery storage equipment for future HVAC energy consumption. TES allows the facility manager to operate the refrigeration equipment during off-peak electrical demand periods to build up energy storage, in the form of ice, for chilled water air-conditioning during peak electric demand periods. This avoids the need to maintain central chiller equipment delivering peak load performance at a higher electric demand billing charge.

Neither battery storage nor TES are 21st-century cutting-edge technologies, which eliminates concerns a building owner or facility manager may have about either concept being a risky investment. HVAC firms can draw upon existing battery storage installations and existing central chilled water plants with TES as references when facilitating a customer-service firm roundtable discussion. The results of an open forum on today’s and tomorrow’s energy management strategies can be a “Win-Win” for both the building owner and the HVAC company.