Imperial Ice Cools Down Its Electric Bill by Going 100% Solar

Imperial Ice partnered with Delta Solar on a 320 kW solar array designed to offset the full electricity demand of its Little Rock packaged ice operation. The system was expected to save the family-owned business more than $857,000 over 30 years.

One of the most interesting parts of the project was the use of remote net metering. Because Imperial Ice did not have enough room on its main property for the full array, the system was built off-site within the same utility territory, allowing production credits to offset usage at the primary facility.

That structure shows how solar can still work for energy-intensive businesses even when the main site has physical constraints. Warehouses, industrial facilities, and manufacturers do not always need all the solar panels to sit directly next to the load they serve, as long as policy and utility structure allow the project to be designed correctly.

Imperial Ice is a strong example of commercial solar solving a straightforward business problem: electricity was a major operating cost, and the company wanted a durable way to reduce it.