FAFCO, ENERGY STORAGE EXPERT

For over 40 years, Fafco is a French manufacturer of cold energy thermal storage for industrial and commercial applications (refrigeration and cooling networks). 

Cold Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) is the process of capturing and storing cooling energy for later use, rather than generating it in real-time.

This approach allows to:

  • Reduce energy costs by shifting cooling loads & reducing peak electricity demand, 
  • Optimize refrigeration installations by increasing capacity
  • Secure cooling production and increase resilience
  • Support decarbonation by storing green electrons

Unlike conventional chiller systems that operate continuously to meet cooling requirements, CTES enables cooling energy to be stored as ice, ensuring on-demand cooling capacity when needed. 

ICEBAT, developed by FAFCO, is a state-of-the-art CTES solution that has been installed in over 1,500 systems worldwide, delivering more than 3.6GWh of stored cooling capacity.

ICEBAT (Cold Storage) uses latent heat storage technology, where water is frozen around high-performance heat exchangers, forming an ice battery.  This stored cooling energy can then be discharged as required, providing an efficient and flexible solution for facilities that experience variable cooling demands.

What are the main areas of activity of the company?

Rrefrigeration and HVAC_R networks 

What’s the product benefits

Beside energy costs optimisation model (loading the storage during energy lower cost and discharging while cost is higher), Ice thermal energy storage:

  • Secures grid’s power supply during heatwaves and unusual cooling needs
  • Ensures a cooling reserve or back-up
  • Allows grid load shedding and provides energy flexibility
  • Optimizes renewable energy use
  • Ables power reduction (including for GWP new refrigerant retrofits)
  • Increases cooling installation reliability and longevity
  • Providing Resilience and contingency
  • The solution for condensers limited space
  • Has long and large proven effectiveness

What are the ranges of products/services?

Depending of the end users needs, 3 mains technologies of Icebat can be applied : 

What is the state of the market where you are currently active?

As industries worldwide push for lower carbon emissions and stricter energy efficiency targets, businesses must adopt innovative cooling technologies that align with sustainability goals.

ICEBAT Cold Thermal Energy Storage provides a forward-thinking solution by optimising energy consumption and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-driven cooling. By allowing cooling systems to operate when clean, renewable electricity is most available, ICEBAT enables businesses to significantly cut their carbon footprint.

What can you tell us about market trends?

The future of cooling technology depends on the ability to efficiently store and manage thermal energy, reducing peak-time electricity consumption while ensuring system reliability. 

ICEBAT represents a major advancement in cold thermal storage, providing businesses with the flexibility to meet fluctuating cooling demands without relying on oversized or energy-intensive chiller plants. By offering a reliable on-demand cooling capacity, ICEBAT helps businesses stabilise energy use and maintain consistent operational efficiency. As smart grid energy management continues to evolve, ICEBAT’s storage capabilities also support demand-side response programs and grid-balancing strategies, helping businesses participate in energy optimisation initiatives. 

This technology not only strengthens system resilience by providing backup cooling during power outages or equipment failures but also ensures facilities can respond effectively to extreme temperature fluctuations. The ability to integrate seamlessly into diverse applications makes ICEBAT a game-changer in the future of sustainable cooling solutions.

What are the most innovative products/services marketed?

The ICEBAT (Ice Battery) system utilises high-performance patended polypropylene heat exchangers, engineered for maximum energy efficiency and durability. 

These heat exchangers feature:

  • A large exchange surface with small spacing, allowing for rapid and effective heat transfer while maintaining high thermal conductivity.
  • Ice forms around the heat exchanger tubes  in a thin layer (10 mm) allowing the energy storage
  • High mechanical and chemical resistance, ensuring long-term reliability even in demanding industrial applications.
  • Low pressure drop, reducing energy consumption and enhancing system efficiency.
  • A vertical construction, designed to optimise reinforced natural convection, ensuring that cooling energy is effectively distributed throughout the storage module.
  • A modular structure, allowing ICEBAT to be scaled to meet specific application demands, from 150kWh to 20,000kWh of stored cooling capacity.

By incorporating this advanced heat exchanger technology, ICEBAT enables businesses to store cooling energy with minimal losses, ensuring optimal efficiency and system performance.

What estimations do you have for the second half of 2025?

As businesses across industrial, commercial, and HVAC sectors look for sustainable and cost-effective cooling solutions.  Reduce peak-time energy consumption and Shift cooling loads away from high-cost electricity periods, make sense. Moreover, by combining lower carbon footprints, and increased system reliability, definitively, the business of Fafco is growing,

In 2025, the market is dynamic for Fafco, and the forecast for the coming years is very promising.