The science of load shifting
Discover how Glacier Storage beats peak energy tariffs and daytime ambient heat through intelligent thermal energy management.
What is a passive thermal battery?
A thermal battery is an advanced energy storage system designed to hold physical temperature rather than electrical current. Instead of relying entirely on the electricity grid during expensive peak hours, a facility can run its heavy refrigeration plant when power is cheap and abundant. This cold energy is actively captured and stored securely within the room for later use.
We engineer these powerful passive batteries using Phase Change Materials. These are highly advanced substances formulated to capture, hold, and release immense amounts of thermal energy through the precise physical process of changing state. We manufacture this material to freeze and melt at your exact operational setpoint.
Once installed within your cold store, our systems act as a massive thermal buffer, delivering three core operational advantages:
Uncompromising temperature stability
The modules actively absorb up to 80 percent of all ambient heat infiltration. This protects your highly sensitive inventory from dangerous temperature fluctuations and ensures strict environmental compliance.
Strategic energy load shifting
By transferring your cooling demand from active electricity consumption to passive thermal storage, the system safely bypasses peak utility tariffs and drastically cuts your monthly energy costs.
Enhanced mechanical resilience
The stored thermal energy provides critical backup cooling during unexpected power failures while significantly reducing the daily mechanical strain on your primary refrigeration plant.
The daily operating cycle
Glacier Storage integrates seamlessly into your facility through a highly efficient two stage process, transforming how your business consumes energy.
Night charge
During off peak hours your refrigeration plant actively cools the space. The Phase Change Material absorbs and stores this abundant cold energy, effectively charging your thermal battery.
Day discharge
When daytime electricity prices soar and ambient temperatures rise, the material passively releases its stored cold energy back into the room.
Benefits:
Maximum efficiency: By charging overnight, the system leverages naturally cooler ambient temperatures to optimise compressor performance.
Cost reduction: Your facility actively consumes power only when electricity tariffs are at their absolute lowest.
Peak preparation: The modules build a massive thermal buffer, preparing your facility for the operational demands of the following day before the first shift even begins.
Benefits:
Total peak shaving: Heavy refrigeration equipment can power down entirely, allowing your business to completely bypass premium daytime electricity tariffs.
Equipment protection: Resting your compressors during the hottest part of the day drastically reduces mechanical wear and extends the lifespan of your plant equipment.
Uncompromising control: The system passively intercepts heat infiltration, maintaining perfectly stable temperatures while providing critical standby capability during unexpected power outages.
The Operational Challenge
Cold storage operators face two distinct daily challenges:
Peak tariffs and ambient heat
Cold storage operators face a severe dual threat during the working day: surging ambient temperatures and peak electricity prices.
This creates a highly inefficient operating environment, forcing primary refrigeration plants to run at absolute maximum capacity exactly when utility tariffs are at their most expensive. Facilities are left paying premium daytime rates simply to battle the midday heat.
The Glacier Storage Solution
Phase Change Material completely neutralises these daytime threats.
By shifting the primary cooling load to the night, the system actively charges the thermal battery when electricity is cheap and ambient air is naturally cooler. As daytime demand and utility tariffs spike, heavy compressors can safely power down. The stored cold energy is then passively released back into the room.
This intelligent load shifting strategy secures a massive reduction in peak power demand, drastically lowers compressor runtime, and maintains uncompromising thermal stability.
The impact of passive storage
Interact with the slider below to see the direct impact of our PCM Thermal Batteries.
In a standard cold store, multiple refrigeration units run continuously to battle ambient heat, yet thermal imaging still reveals dangerous temperature fluctuations across the racking.
When equipped with Glacier Storage technology, the environment is fundamentally transformed. The PCM Thermal Batteries act as a thermal sponge, securing temperature stability across the space, minimising operational run time and vastly improving operational efficiency.
Conceptual model shown for illustrative purposes only.
Solar power
The ultimate solar synergy
Glacier Storage works in perfect harmony with commercial solar photovoltaic arrays, allowing you to completely maximise your renewable energy investment.
Benefits:
Active solar charging: Rather than exporting excess daytime solar power to the grid for little return, you can use it to run your refrigeration plant and charge the Phase Change Material thermal battery with clean, zero-cost energy.
Passive evening discharge: After sunset or during peak tariff periods, compressors can power down while stored cold energy passively maintains stable room temperatures.
Superior to lithium ion: This load-shifting cycle cuts operating costs without the drawbacks of chemical batteries. Unlike lithium-ion systems that degrade over time and require complex safety measures, passive thermal batteries provide decades of reliable, maintenance-free performance while maintaining stable temperatures.