There seems to be an ever increasing movement to save energy wherever possible in all areas of our lives lately. From hybrid cars, to more efficient kitchen appliances, everyone is getting on the energy saving bandwagon at an increasing pace all the time. There is nothing that is not up for grabs when it comes to making it more efficient and more environmentally friendly – and air conditioners are no exception to this trend that is for sure. Using solar power to operate an air conditioner just makes perfect sense if you think about it.
Air conditioners are huge power suckers and can add a significant amount of additional costs to your overall home energy bills, especially if you live in a warmer climate all year round. And during the times that you really want to use an air conditioner – when it’s hotter outside – that is also the time where the sun is at its most powerful, therefore making it a very efficient time to capitalize on the sun’s energy. With millions of people attached to their air conditioners, there has been many times where their overuse has caused brownouts and even blackouts in some areas. This can be a huge inconvenience to everyone in the surrounding areas; even those without ACs can be affected. And at the time when you need your home cooling system to work – you can be left very high and dry and very hot! That is not a good situation for anyone.
So it makes sense to generate the same effect as an air conditioner – cooler air inside your home or office – by using the sun when it’s at its optimum strength. That just makes sense. Although at this time, solar powered air conditioners are not readily available, there have been significant advances of the last few years and a hybrid model is ready to go. Using photovoltaics to service the high energy needs of an AC is certainly a tough challenge to overcome, but this way of home and business cooling is definitely on the rise and on the top priority of several inventive businesses who want to see this type of produce on the market sooner than later.
There have been more products of this type made available on a commercial level so far and it is really only a matter of time before you see solar powered AC in the windows of homes everywhere as they become more readily available, more popular and more inexpensive to produce. And for now, there is a portable hybrid model on the market that runs between grid power and rechargeable batteries.
And that will be an exciting time, not only because it’s better for the environment, but it is also going to generate a lot of costs savings in the long run for those homeowners who love a nice cool home in the middle of summer. So keep your ears and eyes open for more innovations on the horizon and many more people will be able to take advantage of a cooler home or work place without breaking the bank to get it. Won’t that be great!