An energy delivery company in the United States is set to test artificial intelligence-controlled supermarket freezers to balance out energy demands.  

National Grid is “an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company” that serves more than 20 million people in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It thinks it can use “load shifting” to level out peak energy consumption periods.  

The company wants to sign up grocery stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for its project. The pilot, called ConnectedSolutions, has been funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant. It also involves the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and the Axiom Cloud software company. 

How Does Load Shifting Work With Freezers? 

Energy grids often struggle in summer when people turn on the HVACs during sweltering weather. Energy providers may have to fire up fossil-fuel generators like coal or gas power plants to meet additional demand, pumping carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming into the atmosphere.  

The Connected Solutions project will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to monitor National Grid’s overall energy demands. Axiom Cloud’s software will respond to automatically (and remotely) lower supermarket freezers to cooler temperatures before any peak demand periods.  

The freezers then return to their average operating temperatures during the peak period but draw very little power. The stored thermal energy in the now extra-cold frozen goods keeps the freezers within their requisite operating temperature.  

Load shifting aims to reduce the stress on energy delivery systems during peak demand periods. Companies using energy at these lower peak times can benefit from lower energy prices, saving on utility bills.  

The pilot is free for the first year, and participants can still sign up. Most stores are expected to be able to save money on energy bills after installing the software. 

Rhode Island and Massachusetts Energy Overview 

National Grid’s refrigeration pilot is a small part of Rhode Island and Massachusetts’ energy plans.   

Around one-third of Rhode Island’s electricity demand comes from the residential sector. In 2020, more than 89% of the state’s electricity was generated by fossil fuels. The state has set a 2030 deadline for 100% renewable electricity generation.  

Massachusetts consumes 15 times more electricity than it produces. Its renewables sector is well developed, providing about 30% of its entire energy production.  

Refrigeration systems are a very visual way to promote energy efficiency. Grocery stores’ primary electricity consumption is refrigeration. The chilled aisle is also popular with consumers.  

There are more than 2,000 stores eligible to participate in ConnectedSolutions across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In total, supermarket refrigeration load shifting could save 40-100 megawatts of power during peak demands, enough electricity to power between 36,000 – 90,000 homes. 

Can the Frozen Food Aisle Help the Fight Against Climate Change? 

Amrit Robbins, CEO of Axiom Cloud, said: “Software is transforming retail grocers’ relationships with their refrigeration systems. Our Virtual Battery app can predict when building and refrigeration loads will peak and manage refrigeration loads accordingly, without any negative impact on food safety or quality.”  

The Connected Solutions project will also inform participating stores of further energy efficiency opportunities and predicted equipment outages.  

John Isberg, VP Customer Sales & Solutions at National Grid, thinks flexible loading will play a role in transitioning to a clean energy landscape thanks to “more intelligent energy consumers”.  

A combination of tech-interested customers and artificial intelligence manipulating frozen pea temperatures won’t be the solution to climate change. However, the Connected Solutions offers a glimpse of how technology and innovation can have positive implications at micro and macro levels for energy consumers and grocery stores — and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 

Opinion writer: Tom Shearman

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