Are solar air conditioners really useful?

When the sun shines on our houses and heats the indoor environment, we need air conditioning units most. This heating occurs because the sun releases a large amount of energy, which is then transported through absorption and convection.

We are all familiar with this process. Those of us who live in hot climates spend a lot of time and money on technology and house design to minimize its impact.

Since your building absorbs so much energy, it makes sense to use it to cool the internal environment. This seems to be a novel idea, but in fact, solar air conditioners are a growing market and may soon be comparable to electric air conditioners.

But how does solar air conditioner work, and how does it rank in terms of efficiency and energy efficiency compared to traditional air conditioners?

In this blog:
introduce
The heavy environmental cost of air conditioning
How does solar air conditioner work?
Is the solar air conditioning system effective?
How much money can be saved by using solar air conditioning system?
Final thoughts on solar energy

The heavy environmental cost of air conditioning

Americans spend huge sums of money every year to cool down their houses. Jntech estimates that as much as US$11 billion of our hard-earned wages is used to power air conditioners. Given that approximately 87% of our houses are air-conditioned, it is no surprise that the average annual operating cost per household is close to $300.

This figure accounts for approximately 12% of total domestic energy expenditure.

Air-conditioning costs not only hurt our personal finances, but their high energy requirements are also bad for the environment. In the United States alone, the massive energy use of air conditioners emits approximately 140 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

Although striving to achieve carbon neutrality is at the forefront of domestic and international policies, (this also includes you, Canada...) In order to keep us cool at home, the simple task of keeping a lot of energy needs to be solved as soon as possible. Solar air conditioning may be the solution.

How does solar air conditioner work?

Solar Micro Split ACSolar Powered AC Unit Example of Solar Tubeless Micro Split AC Unit
There are many different types of solar air conditioners, although many of them are not yet sold in the consumer market. Nevertheless, in the past few years, three types of residential buildings have generally appeared:

Solar PV (Solar PV) air conditioners-These systems work by capturing solar energy using solar panels, which are usually installed on the roof of a building. Solar photovoltaic panels convert solar energy into electrical energy to power all the components of the traditional split system.

Unused electricity is stored in the battery array for later use. Some hybrid air conditioning systems are connected to the grid to provide additional boost when there is not enough sunlight to charge the battery.

Solar thermal systems-These systems use panels to capture solar energy from the sun's rays. Then, the energy is directly used to turn the generator to provide power to the compressor responsible for the refrigeration process of the air conditioning system.

Solar thermal systems use electricity from the grid to run fans and electrical control panels. However, such systems will quickly become obsolete because their energy efficiency is lower than that of solar photovoltaic systems.

Absorption chillers-These systems use solar energy from solar panels to drive the fans and compressor motors in the system. These systems use evaporation and condensation to produce cold air.

Absorption chillers can consume batteries charged by solar panels.

Are Solar-Powered Air Conditioning Systems Effective?

Tesla Powerwall is a good example of a home battery arrayHome Battery ArrayTesla Powerwall is a good example of a home battery array showing Charge Controller and Battery Bank
It may come as a surprise to you to learn that solar-powered air conditioning systems work just as well as conventional ones.

As long as you have enough sunlight (which will normally be the case since the system is only likely to be in use on a hot, sunny day anyway), a solar air conditioning system is equally effective at cooling an indoor space as an electric-powered system.

In the rare event that you need to turn on the air conditioning on a cloudy day, solar air conditioner systems use a battery array for power. The batteries in this array are charged with the excess energy collected by the solar panels on a hot day.

How Much Can I Save with a Solar AC System?

Installing a solar powered air conditioning system requires a substantial initial outlay. However, the cost of having solar panels, battery arrays, converters, and wiring set up at your home will eventually be offset by the considerable savings that you will make on energy bills.

The total amount that you will save will depend on several factors.
First, the number, size, and energy-capturing capabilities of the solar panels will determine the proportion of an air conditioning system’s energy use met with solar power.  A hybrid solar system still has a grid connection.

Second, the size and carrying capacity of the battery array is important. Battery technology has come a long way in the last few years and is advancing rapidly. In basic terms, the more energy your battery can store from solar power, the more it can be used to supplement your air conditioning system's energy demands.

Third, the amount that you use the air conditioner will obviously impact how much you can save. In hotter climates, you will need a system that is capable of running for longer. However, these requirements should be offset to a certain degree by the greater amount of sunlight that can be harvested. A hybrid solar system may not be needed.

Final Thoughts on Solar Power
All in all, you can expect solar power to contribute at least half of the energy required to run your air conditioning unit. In some cases where a system has more panels and a larger battery, you will hardly have to use electricity from the grid at all.

An increasing number of people choose to adapt their homes so that they are as energy-efficient as possible. If a large proportion of your domestic energy use comes from cooling your home, you should consider installing a solar-powered AC system. Such a system will shave a significant sum off your electricity bill and eventually pay for itself.

If you are considering installing photovoltaic air conditioners, please don't hesitate to contact us.We Jntech will give you the best service.