Over 50 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions you produce in your home are generated by heating, air-conditioning and hot water.
In other words keeping your home warm in winter, cool in summer with nice hot water on tap is emitting 2.5 to 5 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
It also contributes a hefty amount to your electricity bill, between 50 to 60 per cent.
CSIRO has invented a new solar air-conditioning system for Australian homes. This technology solution will reduce Australia’s emissions, reduce your energy bills and reduce our demand for electricity and gas.
It is an innovative three-in-one technology that provides hot water, cooling and heating.
It works by using heat from the sun and employs both desiccant and evaporative cooling technologies.
Solar heat is first collected and stored as hot water, which can be used directly in the house. A portion of the hot water is diverted into the solar air-conditioning unit, which is used to either heat or cool the air coming into the building.
Our solar air-conditioning system uses only a fraction of the electricity of current air-conditioning systems and halves greenhouse gas emissions.
The video below explain how solar air-conditioning works or you can go to www.csiro.au/solar-cooling for more info.
3rd November 2019 at 3:54 pm
Hi, I’m just wondering if this system is commercially available yet or if there is any possibility it will be any time soon. I live in Brisbane, have an evacuated tube solar hot water system and no airconditioning – have been holding off putting in any airconditioning hoping for this technology which seems such a great solution to become available.
6th November 2019 at 8:42 am
Hi Helen – thanks for your interest in the technology. Unfortunately, we do not have any commercial options to recommend at this stage.
Kind regards,
Kashmi
Team CSIRO
12th February 2019 at 10:24 pm
Hi,
I’m quite interested in the fundamentals and would like to know what kind of recovery wheel will be used. Any prototype done on this pilot project. Pls. advise.
14th December 2018 at 8:02 am
How did this system go?? ? Is it available for domestic use yet. Would like to install in my elderly parents home.
18th September 2018 at 9:08 pm
Hi, We live on the coast in Perth. Lots of sea breeze so cooling is not much of an issue. Will this system still provide heating on cold mornings and will there still be heating on cold mornings after a few days of overcast and 14 degree maximums?
Cheers Richard
20th September 2018 at 2:35 pm
HI Richard,
We asked our experts and this was their response:
“The system would have incorporated a hot water storage tank, which could provide about 5 hours of heating operation without any form of backup or further solar input. For those periods when both solar input and storage are low, a gas booster would be included as a backup option.”
Hope that helps you!
Eliza – social media team
26th August 2018 at 1:26 pm
When wilth is cooling system be available for residential purposes