Anyone who has been in a situation where they received warnings about rolling blackouts or texts saying "Set your thermostat at 78 degrees" during a heat wave has experienced this firsthand: air conditioners in America don’t just cool down houses; they also put a huge strain on the grid every summer.
According to a September 2025 press release from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), researchers at NREL, in collaboration with Blue Frontier Inc., developed the Energy Storing and Efficient Air Conditioner (ESEAC), a system designed to store energy for cooling rather than drawing most of its electricity during peak-demand periods. In a year-long simulation of a 20-ton ESEAC system in Miami, Florida, the technology reduced peak electricity demand by 93%, cooling-related electricity use by 38%, and annual electricity costs by 45%.
Why your thermostat is not so innocent
The air conditioner is among the most significant factors driving electricity demand during hot summer periods in America. The International Energy Agency states that in the hottest regions, cooling can account for more than 70% of peak electricity demand.
