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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/12/bagel-shop-saving-money-emissions-plug-in-batteries-brooklyn-new-york>
"In the back of Black Seed Bagels in northern Brooklyn is a giant catering
kitchen filled with industrial-size containers of condiments and freezers full
of dough. A tall, silver electric oven named the Baconator stands in a far
corner, cooking thousands of pounds of meat every week to accompany Black
Seed’s hand-rolled, wood-fired bagels. The Baconator is connected to a battery
the size of a carry-on suitcase, which is plugged into the wall.
While the morning rush is under way, the 2.8-kilowatt-hour battery can directly
power the commercial oven to reduce the company’s reliance on the electric
grid, Noah Bernamoff, Black Seed’s co-owner, explained recently at the
company’s Bushwick shop. Two more batteries are paired with energy-intensive
refrigerators in the front.
Businesses like Black Seed often pay hefty demand charges on their utility
bills that reflect the maximum amount of power they use during a month – costs
that can represent as much as half their total bill, on average. By shifting to
battery power during key times, Black Seed aims to lower its peak grid needs
and reduce monthly fees from the utility Con Edison in the process.
Black Seed is part of a battery pilot programme run by David Energy, a New
York-based retail energy provider. The startup supplied the batteries for free
last August and, using its software platform, controls exactly when the three
appliances draw on backup power. Vivek Bhagwat, David Energy’s head of
engineering, said he expected that tapping batteries for the refrigerators –
which are always humming – would be especially helpful during the hottest
months, when the shop’s air conditioners run around the clock.
“We’re pretty optimistic about our ability to curtail energy in the summer,
when it really matters most, through this machine,” he said, standing beside a
doorless fridge holding water, juice and soda.
For Black Seed, even modest benefits from batteries could make a difference if
multiplied across the company’s 10 locations in New York City, Bernamoff said.
By way of example, he noted that saving $80 at every shop every month could add
up to almost $10,000 a year in avoided utility costs.
“We’re in the game of nickels and dimes,” he said of the bagel business. “So
we’re always happy to save the money.”"
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
