For Building Owners & Operators
Helps reduce energy costs while reaching sustainability goals
Read Our GuideTrane Thermal Energy Storage
Thermal Energy Storage
The proven strategy for more cost-effective, sustainable heating and cooling systems. Now more affordable than ever with an up-to 50% investment tax credit.
Both new and existing buildings need more affordable, flexible ways to heat and cool based on energy availability. The answer is Thermal Energy Storage—which acts like a battery in a heating and cooling chiller plant to help improve energy, cost and carbon efficiency. Besides offering a great ROI, adding thermal energy storage is highly affordable thanks to recent tax incentives.
Trane is your personal thermal energy storage provider, combining leading technology, controls knowledge and systems expertise based on your unique building circumstances. Your local team can collaboratively guide you through a custom, seamless implementation based on your unique goals.
Awards & Recognition
Thermal Battery Storage-Source
Heat Pump System
Why Choose Trane Thermal Energy Storage?
Through years of research and thousands of installations, Trane has identified water as a very effective material for storing thermal energy for later use. This makes thermal energy storage an optimal means for a chiller plant to collect, store, recover and discharge heating and cooling energy. That’s just the start of what makes it such a powerful solution.
Inflation Reduction Act Incentives
For the first time in its 40-year existence, thermal energy storage now qualifies for federal incentives. Thanks to the $370+ billion Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, thermal energy storage system costs may be reduced by up to 50%. Between the IRA’s tax credits, deductions, rebates and more, a thermal energy storage system may cost significantly less than a conventional system.
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Tax exempt organizations such as schools and local governments may now get payments direct from the IRS.
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Engineers may be tax incentive recipients for projects involving tax-exempt organizations like schools and federal buildings
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One Trane thermal energy storage tank offers the same amount of energy as 40,000 AA batteries but with water as the storage material
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Trane thermal energy storage is proven and reliable, with over 1 GW of peak power reduction in over 4,000 installations worldwide
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Trane thermal energy storage has an expected 40-year lifespan
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Trane thermal energy storage is modular, easy to integrate and scalable
BENEFITS
Resolve Your Energy Needs, Reach Your Building Goals
Thermal energy storage is a reliable, cost-effective solution to help reduce electricity costs when it’s most expensive and unlocking many other benefits.
For Engineers
Provide customers with innovative solutions to help reduce carbon and energy costs
Read Our Technical Overview
For Contractors
Achieve reliable, high-performing installations proven to work
Read our Technical OverviewComprehensive Benefits
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Energy & Operating Costs
Consume energy at the most cost-effective times of the day
Recapture waste energy when loads don’t balance
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Carbon Emission & Sustainability Goals
Increase renewable usage by up to 50%*.
Replace fossil fuel boilers with a low-carbon
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Grid and Building Resiliency
Have greater protection against grid outages
Participate in grid capacity and demand limit revenue programs
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Installation Costs
Avoid electrical infrastructure upgrades.
Qualifies for federal incentives and utility rebates
*ASHRAE RP-1607. 2018
Downloads
Exclusive Trane Content
Dig deeper into how Trane’s thermal energy storage can move the needle on your needed outcomes.
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Thermal Energy Storage: More Affordable Than Ever
“The commercial market will benefit from $369 billion in incentives and investments earmarked for green energy projects."
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Trane Thermal Energy Storage: Better for the Environment and Better for Business
“You could pay up to 40 percent less for cooling by avoiding peak time of use rates and reducing peak electricity demand.”
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A Technical Introduction to Thermal Energy Storage Commercial Applications
“Most air conditioning systems operate within their most efficient range less than 25 percent of the time.”
Our Approach
Realize the Potential of Thermal Energy Storage in Your Facility
Thermal energy storage is more effective when controlled and integrated properly. Trane’s data-backed, consultative approach caters to your exact heating and cooling needs and operational requirements. Compared to other providers, we provide a complete solution with building-level controls and digital services.
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Assess
Now is the time to reassess your building space and collaboratively plan around your business goals given changing regulatory drivers and new federal incentives.
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Mitigate
Local experts best practices in thermal energy storage system design that are specific to your application and goals and then implement solutions.
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Manage
Localized support and 24/7 remote connectivity deliver proactive maintenance and ongoing optimization, ensuring your uptime and efficiency long after installation.
Our Solutions
Our Thermal Energy Storage Offerings
Trane’s easy-to-integrate thermal storage tanks—compatible with complete system design guidance, control sequences and points list with operation dashboards—are designed to work reliably. Easy-to-manage pre-packaged with operator dashboards give complete control over system performance.
Made with durable polyethylene, yours can be implemented into a new building or retrofitted when replacing a chiller plant. All you need is space for the tanks, which can go virtually anywhere: inside, outside, on a roof, in a parking garage, even buried.
Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
CALMAC® Energy Storage Tank Model C
These versatile second-generation tanks are ideal for larger commercial and institutional buildings, making siting and installation easy. Designed with a 20% smaller footprint requirement, Model C tanks can be bolted together to eliminate external piping and reduce installation time and costs.
CALMAC® Energy Storage - Model A Tanks
Ideal for small installations since their introduction in 1979, our Classic Model A tank has been upgraded to the 100% welded PE internal heat exchanger design. They’re designed for individual connection with distribution piping.
Integrated Thermal Energy Storage Systems
Thermal Battery Storage Systems
Trane Thermal Battery™ systems are premier HVAC plants that provide a distributed resource for our changing grid. Their ability to store thermal energy enables your building to reliably modify HVAC operations to optimize for carbon reduction or energy cost savings.
Glycol® Management System
A Glycol Management System (GMS) makes solution mixing easy by maintaining the proper volume of coolant in a building's circulating loop.
CALMAC® Plate Heat Exchanger
Plate Heat Exchangers are ideal for avoiding cross-contamination in confined spaces.
Thermal Energy Storage and Electricity Storage
All types of energy storage are needed for a low-carbon future, and each technology has its own best use case. For maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness, it’s important to store energy in the same form in which it will be consumed. That means using electrochemical storage to meet electric loads and thermal energy storage for thermal loads.
Electric storage is essential for powering elevators, lighting and much more. However, when it comes to cooling or heating, thermal energy storage keeps the energy in the form it's needed in, boosting efficiency tremendously compared to other forms of electricity.
Compared to electricity storage, thermal energy storage also offers:
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⅓ of the upfront costs
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A longer discharge duration
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A longer lifespan
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Outdoor placement options
Realizing the Potential of Thermal Energy Storage in Your Facility
Case Studies & Success Stories
Explore a range of commercial buildings that have benefited from Trane’s thermal energy storage solutions. Trane utilizes thermal energy storage at many of its current facilities.
Government & Education
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Saved 26% in energy costs, or more than $100,000 annually, while achieving LEED Silver certification
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Nearly doubled its cooling capacity while decreasing utility costs
Commercial & Industrial
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Thermal Battery™ System Expected to Cut Shooting Star Casino Annual Energy Costs by up to 35 Percent
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Decreased 1.4 million pounds of annual carbon dioxide emissions and created more than $730,000 in annual energy and operating cost savings.
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Lowered facility utility rates and eliminated 1.6 megawatts of electricity from the afternoon grid, helping avoid area brownouts
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Saved $765,000 in annual operating expenses, generating a 25% internal rate of return and avoiding 6.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions
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California State Lottery Headquarters
Reduced cooling costs during peak hours by 21% during both winters and summers, helping achieve LEED Gold® certification.
Insights and Innovations from Trane Experts
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Trane does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material is for informational purposes only and it should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. Tax law is subject to continual change. All decisions are your responsibility, and you should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors. Trane disclaims any responsibility for actions taken on the material presented.