Reducing a semiarid city’s peak electrical demand using distributed cold thermal energy storage

Several changes to the world’s electrical power systems and grids threaten to require massive infrastructure investment and cost to power utilities, especially increasing population and electrical energy demands, especially peak summertime air conditioning demands, and mismatches between timing of supply and demand due to increases in renewable energy and/or large demands from new technologies. Existing power grid systems are generally under-utilized with low load factors during most times of day and year, but demand strains capacity during peak hours. Brownouts and other grid failures are projected to become more common as peak demands approach grid capacities, with negative economic and public health consequences resulting. Meanwhile a financial barrier exists for the financing of grid improvements, because utility revenues are proportional to total power sales, whereas utility costs are driven largely by capital and maintenance for the fixed infrastructure.