Solar Air Conditioners{16}
As I’ve researched Solar Energy for our eventual move to Samal Island, one of the more intriguing items I’ve come across is the solar air conditioner (aircon). While this, for the most part, seems to be an idea whose time has not quite arrived, there are various implementations that hold promise for future applications.
Solar air conditioning seems a natural for the Philippines, and really most places for that matter. The time cooling is needed the most is the the time when it is hottest, with the most sun. As I’ve tried to calculate the amount of kilowatts I’d need to provide to get by, the biggest obstacle always comes down to the aircon.
The Naval Research Lab (NRL) is installing solar-powered air conditioners in a remote research site, which will operate grid free most of the year. They are using GreenCore 10200 solar powered air conditioners to accomplish this. For now it seems that GreenCore is only selling to commercial applications. We’ll have to see how that might change down the road.
SolCool also has a couple units, and supposedly was coming out with a smaller unit that got a lot of press a year or so ago. I don’t see that on their website, so I don’t know if it ever made the light of day.
In Europe there is another smaller unit that is being installed. It’s unclear how widespread these are, or if they have only been used in a test environment.
So the real question is (or will be), do these actually provide any benefit over using a regular air conditioner within your solar powered home system?
Sep 02, 2008 @ 06:36:00
Hi Ellen – thanks for the update and not a problem with being off topic.
Here’s the latest report from SunStar:
Sep 01, 2008 @ 16:15:00
Hi Randy – this sounds exciting. Techonology develops very fast when there are several incentives out there, so I am sure something will come eventually. Yesterday, we were hit with a squall, heavy rain and wind for about half an hour. As usual, we got a brownout for about 1-2 hours, and again this morning. These brownouts cannot be good for the appliances. THe motor for my mother’s fridge blew up (creating sparks) with the power surge. I also notice that people have big power surgers in their homes as well.
Sep 01, 2008 @ 16:29:00
Hi Ellen – good to hear from. Sorry to hear about the brownout, but they are a part of life there, aren’t they? I experienced the same issues when I was in Quezon City, so it seems it isn’t just the remote areas.
I hadn’t noticed the use of surge protecters but it certainly would make sense to use them. The ones I’ve seen here (for computer and home audio/video) often are useless after they take a hit though. That could get expensive, I would think. Maybe the big ones that you’ve seen are more robust.
Sep 01, 2008 @ 17:07:00
I think Manila area is worst for brownouts – think too many people stealing power there as well. My sister lives in QC and all their plugs have the on/off switches, and they are all switched off or unplugged during a lightning storm. They had a fire upstairs once, caused by a hair dryer left plugged in, but not running.
Just researched on Aquacell (water purification company) which bought out the Greencore company in May 2007. Seems like in July and August, they are starting to sell their AC units – one to Mcdonalds and also to the Navy. So, it will just be a matter of time when they go full speed ahead.
Talking about lightning storms, have you read about the planecrash close to Talikud Island? Supposedly hit by a lightning, according to fishermen. There are talks about the US Navy coming to help search for it.
Sep 01, 2008 @ 17:35:00
Hi Ellen- yes, I had heard about the plane crash. The last I had read on it indicated that they felt it was lightning and they were recovering body parts. Are they still looking at bringing in the US Navy at this point? I’ve not heard anything in the last few days.
I had read that GreenCore was formerly Aquacell. Didn’t know that Aquacelll bought them out. I think they have their hands full at the moment, that’s why they aren’t rolling this out beyond commercial yet. McDonald’s and the US Navy are pretty big
Sep 01, 2008 @ 18:50:00
Havent seen much news about it lately. First heard about it that morning when I went to Davao and the ferry terminal people were talking about it – picked up some floating debris of the plane that floated by apparently.
Sep 01, 2008 @ 20:27:00
Hi Ellen – this is the latest I could find on it.
http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p080830.htm&no=23
It does in fact sound like the US is sending a ship with deep sea searching capabilities.
Sep 02, 2008 @ 02:07:00
Just talked to a local on the ferry, and she said the US ship is already here. I cannot see it from our position. Sorry , this became out of topic on this post.
Sep 02, 2008 @ 19:10:00
If you take a look on http://www.alibaba.com you’ll see that solar aircons are a big deal … literally thousands of manufacturers coming into this market. It makes perfect sense, because, as you say, the sun is strongest when the need is greatest.
Of more importance … and I want to write more on this … it would be hard, really hard, to find a country where the average house is more poorly designed for the climate than in the Philippines today. Most middle class and low cost housing is little solar bake ovens scaled up to have windows and doors for people to go in and out.
I think as a Westerner I am alwys going to have a need for air conditioning, but I think that a properly designed house could go a long way to minimizing that need.
Sep 02, 2008 @ 19:26:00
Hi Dave – thanks for your thoughts. It would be great if you put up an article on a properly designed house for the Philippines. I know very little about the subject of building houses, but I had the same feeling when I was there last time. The houses seemed to be built to hold heat in.
Since we will be having a home built to our specs, if would be very helpful to know how to design the house to minimize the need for aircon. That would be my preference.
And on that subject, we have basements in almost every house here in Spokane. They are always cooler than the upstair floors, summer or winter. I was wondering if building with a basement, would have the same benefit there. The obvious concern would be the amount of moisture in the area of Davao/Samal.
Sep 03, 2008 @ 15:54:00
Hi Randy, my parents house has a basement (built in early 70s)and unusual for here. My father was a self-made engineer, architect, designer, I think – hahaha – he had the guts to try out anything. Anyway, it is still there, and we have had flooding especially during heavy rains – but not bad. Here in Samal, we have limestone. In Holiday oceanview, they had problems digging for the road and canal system – eventually had to use the jackhammer. Poor guys who were doing that. I guess they don’t use dynamites here like in Norway. So, it depends where your property is. Might be limestones there too.
Sep 03, 2008 @ 20:08:00
Hi Ellen – is it any cooler in your parent’s basement?
I think it’s likely that we have limestone on the property. I can’t remember but Bob might have mentioned that. Guess I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m in town.
Sep 04, 2008 @ 00:28:00
Yes it is cooler, but it only has windows on one side. If there is no ventilation going thru, then it can get stuffy. First floor is cool too cuz it is a cemented house, but upstairs can get hot. Trick I think is to put heavy insulation on the roof which my brother did, and it is ok.
You need flow through ventilation, so based on my experience here, it is good to have windows on the north and south side where the breeze can flow through (and no sunlight shining straight in). Half of the year winds are predominantly N, NE and the other half, S and SW.
If you have windows on the W and E side of the house, then you definitely need curtains or blinds. Without them, it gets very hot inside.
Sep 04, 2008 @ 20:11:00
Thanks, Ellen. It sounds as though it would be possible to have a fairly self cooled house, if one were prudent with the planning. Of course we want to keep some view of Davao, so that will play a factor in the design and layout also.
Good thing I don’t need to do this today or tomorrow
Sep 04, 2008 @ 20:39:00
I forgot that your property faces west. Then you definitely need some blinds. Or maybe you can angle your house? – saw in costco, those role down blinds – you can see out, yet it cuts the UV and light penetration down – can also let the breeze flow through. We have a similar material in all our boat windows and it really cuts the heat and UV down. I also see them here – i.e. the Davao airport.
We are lucky in that our view of the gulf faces north – so we can even have all glass walls there to take advantage of the view. But with Northerly winds, the glass does get salt residues all the time. Anyway, you are allowed to have the roof extend 1 meter(?) out from your walls which should provide a bit of shade and protection from rain. With the wind, the rain does not fall straight down
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Sep 04, 2008 @ 21:37:00
Hi Ellen – well we haven’t really even gotten that far yet, but I think we will have some kind of deck on the upper floor for viewing and relaxing. It could be on the side of the house if it were designed that way. Typically I see these decks over the carport in the floor plans I’ve seen.
But another factor would be for solar panels, if we go that route. I believe we would need the roof at the correct angles to make maximum use of the sun. Maybe it doesn’t matter as much there but I thought that east/west exposure was best for that.
I’ve seen those blinds, and many people use them here. I’m sure they would help.