Source: http://fortune.com/2016/08/03/tesla-cto-ice-battery/

Sustainability Problem

One of the biggest problem in electricity is the peak load. The grid has to meet all the demand every time and needs to be ready for that. So the difference between peak demand and normal time there are lots of power plants that are resting. Besides If  you shave even a small amount from peak demand and add it other times of the day it would same millions of dollars to government as the highest bidder who is helping to meeting highest demand on a certain time is the one who determines the cost of electricity to all of the power generators. This emphasizes the importance of storage.

Technology Article Summary

In this article a startup called Axiom Energy claims to find a solution for Supermarkets for the peak hour. Company sells technology that plugs into super market refrigeration units and uses tanks of frozen salt water as a way to store energy and lower supermarket energy bills.

During peak times this supermarkets shift to use this technology, frozen salt water tanks, to keep cool the refrigerators and at nigh when the demand and electricity prices are low they can freeze the tanks with electricity. They called it as Refrigeration Battery. It is basically using thermal energy.

Stakeholders

First supermarkets later it can be various places like data centers, cold storage units etc.

But on the big picture as it supports shaving on peak demand every tax payer would benefit.

Deployment

Right now although this is a new startup they are just getting their first commercial systems installed. (https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/Axiom-Exergy-Raises-2.5M-For-Thermal-Energy-Storage). Besides they have got attention of celebrities of tech world thus i think the future is bright for them