Two California hotels, the Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, have chosen Israel-based Nostromo Energy’s ice-based thermal energy storage system to install in their properties.

For both hotels, the energy storage company has installed the 1.4MWh energy storage system to provide energy for cooling at less than half of the current cost and cut down CO₂ emissions by 150-200 metric tonnes per year, or over 5,000 metric tonnes during the system’s lifetime.

Designed to minimise greenhouse gas emissions, the energy system enables the hotels to meet their sustainability targets as well as reduce their energy bills.

The IceBrick system gets charged by leveraging power from the grid in those times when renewable energy levels are very high to freeze water into ice.

The ice is used in the late afternoon and evening when power demand is at its peak to supply energy for cooling instead of utilising fossil-based energy from the grid in the late afternoon.

Nostromo CEO Yoram Ashery said: “We are thrilled that ownership of leading brand hotels such as the Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills are adopting Nostromo’s energy storage technology, demonstrating how buildings can play a significant role in integrating renewables and improving the resilience of the grid in California and nationwide while cutting their energy costs.

This thermal energy storage system, project with the owners of these hotels and real-estate asset management groups Alagem Capital Group and Cain International, represents the first partnership in the hospitality industry utilising Nostromo's technology.

Alagem Capital Group vice-president for lifestyle, branding and technology David Alagem said: "As the owner of leading hospitality properties, including the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Alagem Capital Group has always been committed to incorporating the most advanced and innovative technologies to make our properties role models for sustainability."

Commenting on the partnership, Cain International managing director Larry Green said: "With this partnership, One Beverly Hills further confirms our investment in a sustainable future and commitment to being the benchmark for environmental sustainability by bringing together multiple technologies to aggressively lower emissions and energy consumption."