New IIR Informatory Note on Solar Cooling 

In its latest Informatory Note, the IIR presents the most recent developments in solar cooling and stresses that solar cooling may have a very positive environmental impact by reducing the use of fossil fuels.

 

Solar cooling can be achieved by various technologies. The two main commercial options are photovoltaic (PV)-driven vapour compression chillers and heat-driven cooling machines powered by solar collectors. 

Overall system efficiencies of PV-driven and solar thermal-driven plants may not have such different values. However, an economic analysis indicates that the investment cost for the PV solution is at least half that of other systems. 

 

The IIR concludes that solar cooling may be considered as a sufficiently mature technology to compete with conventional cooling equipment. 

 

This Informatory Note is freely available to IIR members.

 

Consult this Informatory Note

 

A summary for decision-makers, accessible to all, summarises the main conclusions of this Informatory Note.