Hillsborough County Schools Use Ice to Cool Down and Save Money

CALMAC IceBank® tanks projected to save the school district $50,000 annually

FAIR LAWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As students returned to class from summer break in Tampa, Florida, one “cool” addition will save these schools thousands in operating costs. CALMAC, a leader in energy storage systems, provided IceBank energy storage tanks to five Hillsborough County Public Schools in time for the 2009 – 2010 school year. These projects are projected to save the school district $50,000 per year in utility costs while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The IceBank tanks work in tandem with Trane chillers to produce ice at night, when electric rates are lower, and then use the ice to cool the school buildings the next day during peak periods.

“School districts are always looking for budget-saving initiatives, and by storing ice at night with our tanks, these schools will be able to cut costs by reducing peak energy demands during the day”

This is the first time CALMAC’s energy storage equipment has been installed in Hillsborough County Schools, but not the first time the school district has turned to off-peak cooling for their air-conditioning needs. The school district had previously installed ice storage equipment in the 1980s, when dozens of young manufacturers, chasing new demand-side management rebate incentives, jumped into the marketplace. This first round of energy storage has not lived up to expectations, and ultimately the systems are being removed. In late 2007, the school board decided to revisit the idea of thermal energy storage. They reviewed several thermal energy storage technologies through a bidding process, before ultimately choosing the modular, internal melt ice on coil technology.

“There was a bit of hesitation, and understandably so, when we first revisited the idea of energy storage for our schools,” said Robert Wegmann, general manager of maintenance for Hillsborough County Public Schools. “However, the approach that Superintendent MaryEllen Elia and the current school board members took was quite forward-thinking. They recognized that with on-peak power being more expensive than off-peak power, we needed to invest in a smart grid technology to save money and be more sustainable for the environment. Modular, internal melt ice-on-coil systems have proven to be reliable and cost-effective in many other Florida school installations.

“School districts are always looking for budget-saving initiatives, and by storing ice at night with our tanks, these schools will be able to cut costs by reducing peak energy demands during the day,” said Mark MacCracken, CALMAC CEO and USGBC Board Member. “Our IceBank tanks provide Hillsborough County Schools a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to air condition, resulting in noticeable savings that can be reallocated back into the schools.”

Aside from the economic benefits, this system will also improve classroom comforts by lowering humidity levels and will lower the impact of cooling on the environment by decreasing source-energy consumption, resulting in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Because of these benefits, Hillsborough School District will continue to look for opportunities to retrofit their schools with energy storage equipment.

About CALMAC

CALMAC Corporation is widely recognized for promoting peak energy conservation and energy cost savings. An ENERGY STAR^® Partner and USGBC member, CALMAC is a leading manufacturer of IceBank^® Energy Storage equipment with over 3,300 Ice Storage installations worldwide. IceBank systems are a valuable component of the smart grid, enabling energy, including renewable wind energy that mainly blows at night, to be efficiently stored for use during periods of high demand.

Vantage Communications for CALMAC
Tory Klaubo Patrick, +1 202-558-9826
tpatrick@pr-vantage.com