Energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings attributed to HVAC contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As a result, Asian countries are looking for ways to reduce HVAC’s carbon footprint. The introduction of alternative energy sources like wind and solar would allow buildings to stay cool without compromising the environment’s integrity.
There are three main types of cooling systems that do not result in greenhouse gas emissions. More households and businesses are embracing air cooling, water cooling, and hybrid solar air-conditioning systems for a comfortable indoor environment.
Hybrid solar air conditioner Singapore is especially attractive because it makes use of renewable energy from the sun. All one has to do is have building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) installed on the roof to access sufficient power for the HVAC system.
BIPV uses solar energy from the sun and electricity from the grid, hence the name hybrid solar air conditioning. The energy harnessed by these specialized photovoltaic cells helps reduce the energy used in cooling buildings and, by extension, curtail the prevalence of greenhouse gas emissions in the environment.
Read on to learn more about how using hybrid solar air conditioning helps conserve the environment.
The Root of the Problem
Due to global weather variations, HVAC has become essential for households and places of business. More buildings have responded to this increased demand for air conditioning by installing electricity-run A/C systems. That is why so much greenhouse gas emission is currently being traced back to energy consumption in buildings.
Refrigeration in air conditioning poses a huge problem for the environment for obvious reasons. Conventional A/C systems contribute to GHG emissions directly and indirectly, i.e., through refrigerant emissions and fossil fuel combustion to generate power.
Air pollution is a threat, not only to the environment but to us as well. In fact, experts say that individuals who live in polluted locations may be at higher risk from coronavirus.
Most conventional air conditioning systems use fluorinated gases because of their highly evaporative nature. While they serve the purpose of cooling homes and places of business, refrigerants like hydrofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon cause much more harm to the environment than carbon dioxide. Manufacturers of conventional A/C systems say that these gases tend to leak during assembling, operation, and even disposal.
Alternative Air Conditioning Solutions
Why are vapor-compression refrigeration A/C systems still widely used in buildings despite the adverse environmental effects and high energy consumption associated with them? What would be the impact a solar air conditioner has on the environment if more buildings adopted it as an alternative? What steps can governments take to commercialize air conditioning alternatives that are safer and more reliable?
The principal focus for most governments, especially in Asia, is to find a suitable alternative that would be safe and energy-efficient. Manufacturers are also looking for F-gases with a lower global warming potential than those currently in use. This way, those who stick with conventional A/C systems can have a smaller carbon footprint.
Research and development efforts are currently being focused on ensuring that harmful F-gases used in A/C systems are entirely phased out altogether. Governments have the capacity to develop and deploy technologies that can considerably reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.
Solar-powered air conditioners are at the forefront of these efforts. More governments are slowly discovering just how much potential the sun has in terms of energy. A decade ago, the existence of solar-air conditioning sounded too good to be true. Today, however, technology has allowed us to engineer hybrid systems that can simultaneously run on electricity from the grid and energy from the sun.
Building integrated photovoltaics are excellent at absorbing sunlight and converting it into usable electricity. It’s important to note that the output on BIPVs depends on variables such as the solar panels’ orientation and surface area, the material of the panels, and the sun’s intensity.
It is best to work with a professional who understands these variables and how to manipulate them to harness maximum energy. You need BIPVs that guarantee high efficiency so that you can minimize your dependence on electricity from the grid.
Next-Generation Technologies that Focus on reduction in GHG Emissions
Hybrid solar air conditioner Singapore is currently the talk of the town, and it’s recognized as the next generation solar air conditioner. Since it uses a thermal collector to absorb thermal energy, this affects a simultaneous heat exchange between the compressor and the refrigerant.
This A/C system uses conducting inner coils made from copper to transfer heat from the compressor to the refrigerant for the refrigeration cycle.
This working principle ensures that your HVAC system’s condenser has a reduced workload. As a result, energy is optimized, and operational costs are also reduced as well.
Wrapping Up
Hybrid air conditioners are life savers at a time when the human race’s efforts should be focused on conserving the environment. It is an invention that helps the energy sector to kill two birds with one stone. We can now say goodbye to pollution through refrigerant leakage and fossil fuel combustion.
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