Schools save money thanks to thermal storage solutions

September 23, 2014

Schools in the St. Lucie School district are experiencing a 30 to 40 percent reduction in energy costs for cooling thanks to thermal energy storage. As a cost reduction solution, thermal energy storage not only ensures comfortable conditions for students to learn and teachers to perform but also keeps energy costs low. 

Cool savings
Thermal energy storage manufacturer, CALMAC, recently issued a press release on several thermal storage installations at the St. Lucie School District in Fort Pierce, Florida. The district has been using CALMAC IceBank energy storage technology for the last seven years and experienced a 30 to 40 percent reduction in how much the district spent on energy every year. That's about $5 million in savings, the source noted.

"The CALMAC IceBank energy storage tanks are a main ingredient in our energy program. Without them we would not have obtained the energy savings," said St. Lucie's Executive Director of Utilities, Marty Sanders, P.E. 

Centennial High School was able to cut its traditional power needs by about half. This is saving the school roughly $300,000 a year. Another school, Lincoln Park Academy, was able to lower energy costs by $334,000 within the first year of installation, a 32 percent reduction in cooling costs.

Energy solution
Unlike traditional air-conditioning, CALMAC offers school districts like St. Lucie a solution that stores electricity when it is less expensive, making it possible to avoid peak demand charges and pay up to 50% less for the largest portion of the electric bill. What's more, this technology provides a more sustainable energy solution that can last 30 years, giving schools peace of mind that their investments will be around years from now to keep providing savings and comfortable cooling.