Date: November 2025

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) such as systems using ice or hot water, could provide a significant load shifting resource, but so far there is little adoption beyond limited applications in larger commercial buildings. To date, there are few programs that can fully capture the potential value of widespread TES adoption and incentivize building owners to operate TES to maximize grid benefits. This presentation will share strategies for implementing and capturing value from TES, based on findings from two years of stakeholder engagement and new market research. Our work includes engagement with investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives. The presentation will include: Successful business models and utility programs, Strategies for recruiting participants to aggregator and utility programs, New data on TES market trends in the US and internationally, including technology types well-suited to different near-term applications.

Speakers:
Elizabeth Traynor, ACEEE