Solar Air Conditioning, Solar Heating: Solar Powered Air Conditioners Solar HVAC Saves Money

Solar powered air conditioning systems are based on time tested absorption chillers made by Yazaki.

Absorption chillers are powered by heat (hot water). Thousands have been installed using gas boilers or waste heat from generators or other sources. They also run very effectively with a proper solar thermal configuration.

As odd as this may sound, thermal powered air conditioning is a well established technology used for decades in air conditioning for office buildings, hotels, hospitals, and many other applications.

simple diagram of solar air conditioning system

By properly applying solar thermal energy to the absorption chiller units, the need for gas firing or other heat source is avoided; the result is a solar powered air conditioning system with truly extraordinary energy savings.

See Diagram of Solar Air Conditioning / Solar Heating System

See Solar Air Conditioner Technical Data

See Solar Air Conditioning / Solar Heating FAQ

See Anatomy of Solar Chiller - System Components

"Because of the high temperature requirements of absorption cooling systems, evacuated-tube or concentrating collectors are typically used." - U.S. Dept. of Energy.
See Evacuated Tube Thermal Collector Data

Not exactly what you need? Please also see our 100% DC Air Conditioners (solar PV powered).

Also, see our line of high-efficiency DC Inverter Heat Pumps that achieve up to 21 SEER.

image of Apricus solar thermal collectors being installed on roof top

The solar air conditioner / solar heater is powered by solar energy collected in the evacuated tube solar thermal panels (above). The thermal energy is delivered to the solar powered chiller using a Glycol (antifreeze) solution and a simple but carefully designed system of pipes, pumps and controllers.

Solar Heating and Cooling
In the winter, even when it is below freezing outside, our special evacuated tube solar thermal collectors produce an abundance of heat that will be transferred into your building, either reducing or eliminating the operation of your existing heating system.

About Solar Air Conditioners

Absorption chiller air conditioners are not new, they have been commercially used in the U.S. since the early 20th century and are a very widely deployed technology. Absorption chiller AC units are also very popular in Asian countries like Japan, where the high cost of electricity make them very desirable and they constitute up to 40% of all installed commercial air conditioning tonnage. They are simple and dependable, using no harmful CFC (Freon, etc.) and some units actually operate without any moving parts.

When engineered to run on solar energy the absorption chiller AC units provide the lowest cost to operate and the best return on investment of any air conditioning system in the world.

Our solar heating and air conditioning units can be used anywhere that the sun shines; they are low in operating and maintenance costs. They consume little or no electrical energy - essentially the only parts that use electricity are low amp fan motors and small pumps that move the thermal transfer fluid (Glycol, a food-grade antifreeze) from the collectors to the chiller and then back up to the collectors - all of these small electrical loads can run from solar PV panels if desired. Inside the unit is another small pump that circulates the refrigerant. There is no "compressor" to consume power.

As with any air conditioning system, heat has to be exhausted. The solar air conditioning system is no different. A small cooling tower is installed on the roof, or on the ground, to remove the heat. Shown below are some cooling tower options.

Above left is a cooling tower made from heavy duty corrosion-proof recycled plastic and has a lifespan guarantee of at least 15 years. It will never rust, chip or need painting and there are no gear reducers, couplings, additional shafts, or extra bearings to maintain. Top right shows a standard cooling tower.

Pricing/ROI:

The payback period for a solar air conditioning system can be very fast depending on incentives and credits in your state. For example, in North Carolina a solar HVAC system can fully pay for itself in as few as two years, making solar air conditioning an easily understood investment.

In states with less favorable incentives and credits, the payback period will be longer.

Note that most tax credits and incentives are limited to businesses, so solar air conditioning and heating systems may have a longer payback when implemented for residential use.

Something New!