Prestressed Concrete Tanks Brochure

Institutional electrical energy usage follows a bell curve with peaks during the day and valleys overnight. Local power plants must have the capacity to handle the peak periods. Power plants are often oversized to meet high demand peak periods and are forced to charge demand fees to offset the cost of excess capacity. During periods of low demand (evenings), plants must be kept running and producing electricity, often with excess capacity. In many cases, energy produced during low demand periods is offered to large commercial users at a reduced rate. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) takes advantage of these low rates by chilling water for the cooling systems at night and storing it in insulated tanks for use during times of peak demand. This is known as load shifting or peak shifting. Depending on the specific geographic location and utility incentives, the payback of the initial construction cost can be very short.