Ice battery
Buffer cold, save energy
The world is changing at a furious pace. While we work to move away from fossil energy, demand for electricity is growing explosively — and we are already running into the limits of the grid. Grid congestion is a real problem for many businesses, but there is certainly something to be done about it.
We believe in sustainable energy, used intelligently — so that you take full advantage of the troughs in energy prices and avoid the peaks wherever possible.
What we have in mind above all is buffering cold to absorb price peaks. When energy is cheap we let the ice grow; when prices are high we let it melt. A reliable system that stores energy efficiently, so that it is available for use when costs are high.
The ice battery is sustainable, has an ‘endless’ service life, and becomes more economically attractive the greater the capacity required.
We are conscious of the need to leave fossil fuels behind, and we want to contribute to the energy transition. Inspired by the next generation, we are building an ice battery: a reliable system that stores energy efficiently. We have found a partner for this in the German company sp-ICE.
Advantages and disadvantages of the ice battery
Advantages
- Sustainable
- Cost-efficient
- Efficient
- Long service life
Disadvantages
- Larger volume
- Limited application
- Cold/heat only
Advantages:
Sustainability
The ice battery uses water as its storage medium — in every respect a less polluting alternative to batteries. It is based on the phase transition of water, which takes a great deal of energy. By storing your energy demand in water you avoid enormous amounts of pollution from, for example, the mining and manufacture of conventional batteries.
Cost saving
Both operating and initial costs are lower than those of conventional battery storage, which makes it far more attractive economically. The larger the storage, the better the payback.
Efficiency
An ice battery offers the potential for higher energy storage capacity and efficiency, particularly for businesses with a significant need for (intermittent) cooling.
Service life
A chemical battery has a limited service life (~7 years), whereas an ice battery can be ‘recharged’ almost indefinitely (a service life of at least 20 years).
Applications of the ice battery:
- Industrial cooling processes
- Climate control in buildings
- Emergency cooling
- District cooling
We offer customer-specific solutions, and our initial study is entirely without obligation.
With a Flex-E subsidy we can carry out a flexibility scan or a feasibility study, and even implement the measures proposed, at 60% of the cost.
The ice battery in the process industry
Your process — cooling an agricultural product, for example — takes a lot of energy. That cooling can only be done with electricity, and it has to run 24/7, while the sun shines for only twelve hours a day.
To store your energy you might consider a lithium battery. That brings high initial costs, however, and a service life of five to seven years.
Because what you need is cold — for cooling milk, apples or chemical products, say — your goal is not to store electricity. Your goal is to keep your process cool.
With our storage in cold, we convert the energy peak straight into cold. That is one energy conversion fewer, and therefore more efficient. Curious how the ice battery works?
Our approach
Tailored advice
We want to put our experience in heat technology to work analysing your energy needs and your energy sources. We map out the peaks and the storage possibilities.
To do that we can measure and model. By establishing the energy flows and taking cooling and heating costs into account, we can offer a cost-effective solution that substantially reduces your process costs.
We think in solutions. Get in touch with us now about your heat problem.
System integration
We supply not only the principal components, but a turnkey solution.
For your process or installation we supply:
- Ice battery
- Hydraulic module
- Pumps
- Controls
- Pipework & insulation
- Heat exchanger
- Degassing module & pressure control
We think with you about integration into your current process — an implementation with minimal disruption.
Process design & engineering
De Korne has everything in house, including engineering and production capacity. Your process needs a fast and effective conversion. To make the integration of the ice battery run as smoothly as possible, De Korne invests in detailed design. Various components can also be delivered on skids. Nothing is left to chance, for a fast and efficient implementation of the ice battery.
If you would like to know more about our engineering capabilities, do read on.
Energy Storage NL
We are a member of Energy Storage NL, the association of professionals in the energy storage sector. Together with this new partner, Energy Storage NL connects those looking for energy storage with De Korne as a supplier of ice batteries. Our solution is not a standard product but a unique cold battery, designed specifically for cold storage or as a heat source in heat networks (with a heat pump). In that way we offer a sustainable and efficient answer to every energy storage challenge.
Curious about the possibilities? Get in touch and discover how we can solve your energy storage problem.
If you would like to know more about Energy Storage NL and the projects realised, see their website.
If you are interested in a fuller explanation of the ice battery, do take a look at our page on crystallisation energy, or read the posts alongside