Tucked away in the basement of an Emack & Bolio's ice cream shop in Midtown Manhattan, six compact batteries are doing something surprisingly powerful: saving the business real money on its electricity bill, month after month.
Each battery is roughly the size of a toaster oven laid on its side. They plug directly into the wall and connect to the breaker box - no major renovation required. The concept behind them is elegantly simple.
Buying cheap power, using it when it's expensive
The batteries charge up during off-peak hours, when electricity rates are at their lowest. Then, when demand spikes and prices climb - think busy lunch rushes or sweltering summer afternoons - they kick in and power the shop's freezers, lights, and equipment from stored energy instead of the grid. The result is a significantly lower utility bill without any change to how the business actually operates.
The technology comes from a company called David Energy, and it's gaining traction across New York City's small retail scene. Beard Papa's, the beloved cream puff chain, is among the other businesses reportedly using the system, according to Fast Company.
Why this matters beyond the numbers
For small food businesses - especially ones running energy-hungry refrigeration around the clock - electricity costs are a serious pressure point. Margins are already tight, and utility bills are one of those expenses that can feel completely out of a business owner's control. Solutions like this flip that script a little.
There's also a broader energy angle worth paying attention to. When businesses draw less power during peak demand periods, it eases strain on the grid overall. Small-scale battery storage, multiplied across hundreds of city businesses, starts to add up to something meaningful for urban energy resilience.
Low friction, real results
What makes this approach particularly interesting is the low barrier to adoption. These aren't massive infrastructure projects. The batteries are modular, relatively compact, and designed to slot into existing setups without significant disruption. For a small business owner who doesn't have the time or budget for a complicated energy retrofit, that accessibility matters a lot.
It's a reminder that the most effective sustainability tools aren't always the flashiest ones. Sometimes it's six quiet boxes in a basement, doing their job while the crew upstairs scoops ice cream and serves customers who have no idea the building just got a little smarter.
