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Solar-powered air conditioning -- it's a great idea. On those days when the sun's rays are heating you up, a solar PV-outfitted AC unit would use those rays to cool you down. It's a perfect match, in theory.
LG has introduced a solar hybrid air conditioner that works on that theory, and it does work, just not well. The PV-covered unit generates up to 70 watts of clean solar power per hour, but most AC units use more than 2,000 watts when running, so that leaves a lot of slack to be picked up by the grid.
Now, that's not really LG's fault, instead the problem lies in solar PV efficiency (or lack thereof). There are more efficient technologies being developed in labs all of the time, they just haven't made it to market. Down the road, we may see a solar-powered AC unit that contributes more than a tiny slice of renewable energy (which is still better than nothing), but for now, we'll bet on NREL's super-efficient AC.
via Engadget
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Comments (12)
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written by Josh, June 21, 2010
You can save up to 10% of your AC's energy cost by shading it with trees or shrubs. 70/2000= 3.5% and im sure the PV is more expensive than a tree or bush
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written by Gabba, June 22, 2010
It beggars belief that someone could be so uninformed about science that they would even consider writing this tripe.
A PV array of the size shown here would barely have enough output to trickle charge a typical automotive battery let alone drive a AC plant!
The language and tone of this article gets me too. It seems written as if the audience were pre-schoolers.
Could I suggest that this site be renamed "EcoTard"?
A PV array of the size shown here would barely have enough output to trickle charge a typical automotive battery let alone drive a AC plant!
The language and tone of this article gets me too. It seems written as if the audience were pre-schoolers.
Could I suggest that this site be renamed "EcoTard"?
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written by hyperspaced, June 22, 2010
Don't forget the really poor efficiency of AC units in general. That's the source of the problem.
Heat pumps have a LOT of room for improvement.
Heat pumps have a LOT of room for improvement.
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written by Doc Rings, June 22, 2010
@Gabba: no you may not. I think the article used many caveats, like "in theory", "it works, but". And I don't think you made any advances in our understanding either... I think all of us know that the array shown wouldn't do much at all.
I think the article was strictly for curiosity sake, and stands as a warning that some corporations are trying expensive junk like that A/C unit, and I thank EcoGeek for letting us know this stuff is coming to market for just that reason: a warning.
I think the article was strictly for curiosity sake, and stands as a warning that some corporations are trying expensive junk like that A/C unit, and I thank EcoGeek for letting us know this stuff is coming to market for just that reason: a warning.
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written by ppnl, June 22, 2010
Efficiency isn't the problem. After all even if your cells were only 10% efficient you could just use more of them.
The problem is cost.
The problem is cost.
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written by Carl Hage, June 22, 2010
The real problem is dedicating a use for solar generated electricity to one application. It's just silly to bundle a (tiny) solar panel with an appliance for a grid-connected house. We should really look at generation of electricity as one thing, and appliances that use it as another, for the most part.
If you only use solar electricity for one purpose, then you waste the opportunity when you don't need that use (e.g. sunny cool days).
Cost for PV is not the biggest problem. Cost will probably come down by half in the next years, and peak time electric cost when AC is needed is already cost effective.
If you only use solar electricity for one purpose, then you waste the opportunity when you don't need that use (e.g. sunny cool days).
Cost for PV is not the biggest problem. Cost will probably come down by half in the next years, and peak time electric cost when AC is needed is already cost effective.
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written by Josh, June 24, 2010
...and love it! Of course my solar array is a little bit larger then the LG 70 watt panel - I have an 11kw array (11,000 watts).
My point is not to brag. It's to say that I find product's like this to be nothing more then greenwashing. My heat pump (it's an Acadia Cold Air Heat Pump) provides both heating and cooling, but it consumes a fair amount of power to do it. I was lucky to be able to take advantage of a Solar Lease to make it "solar powered" at a relatively affordable price - but this is by far not a normal option for most everyone.
If LG is serious about the AC unit being environmentally sustainable, why not scrap the 70 watt panel and instead save a few hundred watts by developing better compressor technology. The 70 watt panel is lipstick on a pig if you asked me.
My point is not to brag. It's to say that I find product's like this to be nothing more then greenwashing. My heat pump (it's an Acadia Cold Air Heat Pump) provides both heating and cooling, but it consumes a fair amount of power to do it. I was lucky to be able to take advantage of a Solar Lease to make it "solar powered" at a relatively affordable price - but this is by far not a normal option for most everyone.
If LG is serious about the AC unit being environmentally sustainable, why not scrap the 70 watt panel and instead save a few hundred watts by developing better compressor technology. The 70 watt panel is lipstick on a pig if you asked me.
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written by NYC Air Conditioners, June 28, 2010
I would also say that solar-powered air conditioning is truly a great idea. This is quite an interesting posting and I liked it a lot.
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written by JN, June 30, 2010
Everybody knows that 70W is a drop in the bucket for an A/C. My questions would be:
1) What are the efficiency ratings on this unit, have they improved it any
2) Is it upgradable/IE can you add more panels?
3) Does it require a battery backup for the panels? If not and the number of panels is upgradable, we might have something here. The real money is usually in the batteries and inverter system. The PV's are not really that expensive if you don't have to buy all the other junk
1) What are the efficiency ratings on this unit, have they improved it any
2) Is it upgradable/IE can you add more panels?
3) Does it require a battery backup for the panels? If not and the number of panels is upgradable, we might have something here. The real money is usually in the batteries and inverter system. The PV's are not really that expensive if you don't have to buy all the other junk
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written by Air Conditioning Contractors Grants Pass, July 08, 2010
Guys, I think we are missing the point here. It's like using AC power all the way or some AC and some solar power. I'd take the second if these are the only choices available to me. Also, I think LG might have hit a jackpot here. Why not use it for other appliance that doesn't require as much power as the AC? Just a thought.
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written by Dino, January 07, 2012
Getoff your wallets!!!!!!!You talk a big game, but you can't make things happen without money. Solar power is pobably the best place to start after making every effort to optimize energy consumption to it's lowest level.Solar power is about saing an long time payback.its pricey I know after recently installing 1.4kw of panels on my house. For thius system I would use 2 250 watt panels and a charge controller run to an 8d battery 12 volt of course.Then you can sit under your A/C unit and laugh at brown outs and high cooling bills. All you have to do is dig out your credit cards and take the plunge
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And the ultimate problem here is not the efficiency, which is about 15%. Even if these PV modules were three times more efficient (near their theoretical limit), it would still produce power a factor of 10 lower than is needed for the AC. The fundamental problem is the power per unit area of the sun's light. It's too low. We need to put large amounts of solar panels on roofs, not on appliances. And we need to put them in a place that optimized to hit the sun, at the right angle, all year round. These systems that put small PV modules on appliances are extremely inefficient and don't help us. They're for uninformed, but well meaning "green" consumers.