May 21 2008
Honeywell today announced a $4.25-million permanent load-shifting program with Southern California Edison (SCE) that will reduce the utility bills of commercial customers and decrease electricity consumption during peak day-time hours.
The Night Shift program is expected to deliver 2.5 megawatts of peak power relief between noon and 6 p.m. -- when energy use and utility rates are highest. This is enough capacity to cover the electricity needs of more than 600 homes.
Honeywell will manage the program for SCE, retrofitting approximately 300 roof-top air conditioners with Ice Bear hybrid air-conditioning units from Ice Energy. The Ice Bear system freezes water in a storage tank at night when electricity costs are low. When the air conditioner is on in the day, the stored ice cools the refrigerant instead of a condensing unit, which consumes the most energy in an air conditioner. As a result, the modules cut peak cooling demand by up to 95 percent.
The program also will reduce power generation emissions associated with cooling by approximately 20 percent or more because generating sources used during peak periods have a higher emissions rate than those used to serve base load energy needs at night.
"The Night Shift program enables our commercial customers to maximize cost savings through innovative green technology," said Lisa Cagnolatti, SCE vice president, Business Customer Division. "The program will help to reduce high energy demand patterns we typically see in the summer months."
Night Shift is for mid-commercial customers who have buildings with 3 to 20-ton rooftop air-conditioner units and an electricity demand of at least 200 kilowatt-hours per day. Facilities that fit this profile typically include office buildings, libraries, school and university buildings, and big box retail stores. Customers who participate in the program will receive a rebate from SCE to help offset some of the equipment and installations costs. They also will realize ongoing energy savings based on time-of-use electricity rates that reward off-peak consumption.
The hybrid cooling systems are specifically designed for refrigerant-based air conditioners, which serve nearly 80 percent of commercial buildings in California. This differs from other permanent load-shifting programs that have traditionally targeted only water-based air-conditioning units. Consequently, Night Shift can accommodate a wide range of commercial customers and help them cut their energy bills.
"Utilities such as Southern California Edison need more than a quick fix when it comes to managing energy consumption, and Honeywell is addressing this through smart, permanent programs that use existing power generation more efficiently," said Kent Anson, vice president of Global Energy for Honeywell Building Solutions. "We specialize in programs that leverage state-of-the art technology to drive savings to utilities and their customers."