Solar cooling systems. Preparations for possible participation in IEA, SH and C Task 25

The project background is that increased use of electric office machines leads to increase of installation of air conditioning equipment, even in Denmark. Cooling is carried out using compressor cooling driven by electricity. Instead it could take place using heat driven cooling machines. A saving in the use of fossil fuel could be expected if this heat was to be produced by a solar heat plant. Calculations from the Franenhofer Institute have show that a saving of this kind was achievable. In the project a calculation has been carried out concerning the economy when using solar cooling with absorption cooling, desiccant cooling and ejector cooling of buildings in Freiburg, Germany and Trapani, Italy. In Copenhagen the need for cooling proved to be minimal. The sun covers 50-75% of the heat demand for cooling. The calculations show that solar cooling is profitable under special circumstances only. Among these particularly that a high peak power tariff is paid for electricity, because solar energy saves on electricity peak power. If fossil fuel is used for supplementary heating - as in the calculations - savings will only be achieved under special conditions. The project is concluded with an assessment as to whether Denmark should participate activily in IEA TASK 25, Solar Assisted Air. Conditioning of Buildings. The recommendation is that Denmark should not participate actively in TASK 25