Summer is here and most people will be cooling their heels, quite literally, inside their airconditioned homes. But overdependence on these energy-guzzling devices-ACs-has prompted scientists to explore others alternatives. The latest alternative on stream is solar airconditioning at Solar Energy Centreat Gual Pahari village in Gurgaon.
Incredible as it may sound, 13 rooms are being cooled at this research station using solar energy. In other buildings, minor alterations in the structures are helping minimize the need for airconditioners.
At the Solar Energy Centre, director and scientist 'F' S K Sinha's room has a solar airconditioner next to a conventional airconditioner. As the temperature is rising, Sinha and his colleagues have completely stopped using conventional airconditioners. "Middle-income households in Delhi are increasingly switching over to ACs from coolers. All offices have airconditioners. We are trying to bring down the use of conventional airconditioners. The solar airconditioner was installed last year and this is the first time we are using it," Sinha said.
This would mean that the cooling effect would be the maximum on the hottest day. This airconditioner works by capturing solar radiation through 288 sqm of solar collectors at the campus. It generates 60kW of pressurized hot water. The heat from this water further generates chilled water with a temperature of 7 degrees Celsius, which is circulated through a fan coil unit installed in all 13 rooms.
"A remote control is used to monitor the temperature and humidity in the rooms like any other airconditioner. One cannot make out the difference. This building also has a 'passive solar' architecture, which further contributes to the cooling effect," said project fellow Himanshu Jaiswal. While ACs normally installed in houses have a cooling capacity of one to two tonnes, the solar airconditioning set-up has a capacity of 30 tonnes with no energy consumption from the grid.
But it's still time before dependence on conventional ACs can be brought down significantly. These experimental devices will first be used in larger buildings, said scientists. Modular solar coolers for homes are being manufactured in parts of Europe, especially Germany, said director, energy environment technology development division, The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), Amit Kumar. But for now if you are keen on buying airconditioners for your home, energy efficient airconditioners may marginally reduce the electricity bill. Amit added, "I would suggest that people buy five-star rated airconditioners. It is the least we can do."
For architect and adviser to Delhi Urban Art Commission, Vinod Gupta , who has been involved in research projects for incorporating solar heating and natural cooling in buildings, airconditioners are a last resort for buildings in Delhi. "I suggest evaporative coolers. These are different from the usual desert coolers because they allow you to control humidity, and the noise and blast of air, which is typical of coolers. But cooling in buildings is much more than just fixing a cooler or an AC. We use a variety of passive solar and evaporative cooling techniques to bring the temperature down," he said.
Incredible as it may sound, 13 rooms are being cooled at this research station using solar energy. In other buildings, minor alterations in the structures are helping minimize the need for airconditioners.
At the Solar Energy Centre, director and scientist 'F' S K Sinha's room has a solar airconditioner next to a conventional airconditioner. As the temperature is rising, Sinha and his colleagues have completely stopped using conventional airconditioners. "Middle-income households in Delhi are increasingly switching over to ACs from coolers. All offices have airconditioners. We are trying to bring down the use of conventional airconditioners. The solar airconditioner was installed last year and this is the first time we are using it," Sinha said.
This would mean that the cooling effect would be the maximum on the hottest day. This airconditioner works by capturing solar radiation through 288 sqm of solar collectors at the campus. It generates 60kW of pressurized hot water. The heat from this water further generates chilled water with a temperature of 7 degrees Celsius, which is circulated through a fan coil unit installed in all 13 rooms.
"A remote control is used to monitor the temperature and humidity in the rooms like any other airconditioner. One cannot make out the difference. This building also has a 'passive solar' architecture, which further contributes to the cooling effect," said project fellow Himanshu Jaiswal. While ACs normally installed in houses have a cooling capacity of one to two tonnes, the solar airconditioning set-up has a capacity of 30 tonnes with no energy consumption from the grid.
But it's still time before dependence on conventional ACs can be brought down significantly. These experimental devices will first be used in larger buildings, said scientists. Modular solar coolers for homes are being manufactured in parts of Europe, especially Germany, said director, energy environment technology development division, The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), Amit Kumar. But for now if you are keen on buying airconditioners for your home, energy efficient airconditioners may marginally reduce the electricity bill. Amit added, "I would suggest that people buy five-star rated airconditioners. It is the least we can do."
For architect and adviser to Delhi Urban Art Commission, Vinod Gupta , who has been involved in research projects for incorporating solar heating and natural cooling in buildings, airconditioners are a last resort for buildings in Delhi. "I suggest evaporative coolers. These are different from the usual desert coolers because they allow you to control humidity, and the noise and blast of air, which is typical of coolers. But cooling in buildings is much more than just fixing a cooler or an AC. We use a variety of passive solar and evaporative cooling techniques to bring the temperature down," he said.
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