The words 'solar cooling' sure sounds like a contradiction, but it's true that the same solar energy that provides heat in winter can also provide cooling in the summer months.
There have been quite a number of passive cooling systems developed and tested in recent times. They function quite simply. There is a coolant that absorbs heat and then dispels it outside. If you're wondering just what are these coolants, they can even be simple everyday things, like water troughs or water tanks - they are very much capable of sucking in the heat and letting it out as the sun's rays evaporate the heat automatically.
These may be simple coolants or ways to use passive cooling, but you can get any one of several passive solar cooling systems with more intricate processes. These systems make use of a shaded solar collector, to start with. And the storage medium in it gathers all the heat during daytime to release it later after sundown. When the night comes, you can remove the cover or shade of the solar collector, allowing it to get in contact with the night air, and as a result releasing any heat collected.
You can choose from many different possible shades for the solar collector, from extended shades to sun blinds. You need to be able to cover your solar collector just as well as you can expose it, because this is, after all, a temporary arrangement that will go the other way around in the winter time.
If you are using a conventional air conditioner, you can actually save energy by using solar panels to power it. Solar panels are a great idea especially in the summer, because the sun shines the brightest during these hot months, making it the perfect opportunity to create electricity with photovoltaic, or PV cells. This way it is possible to use your air conditioner in the summer free of charge - how about that to save a chunk off your electric bill!
One final way you can use solar cooling is without the use of any form of technology. The ancient Romans needed a way to cool the walls of their homes, so they used running water to do the trick. As you can guess, the water evaporates under the sun, thereby dissipating heat and soothing the inner temperatures. This same arrangement can be put up at your house on the walls and even on rooftops.
Cooling and heating are two reasons why Americans experience higher than usual utility bills in the summer and winter months respectively. Solar cooling, as we have illustrated, has many ways in which it could help you regulate your house's temperature, save costs, and do so in an environmentally friendly way.
About the author: Erica Hall is a blogger and about life in Saint Louis. Explore St Louis at this city guide and find the latest Saint Louis City area events.
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