According to leading survey companies that have taken account of the way energy is used in the domestic sector, it is assessed that 30% of all energy consumption is due to the heating and cooling needs of our buildings.

As you already knew, the use of an air conditioner can really take a heavy toll on your electricity bill. That’s exactly why Le Lievre, a co-founder and former CEO of Ausra, has launched Chromasun, a company that plans to dish out efficient and ergonomic solar-powered air-conditioning systems for our next summer.

The new and innovative design of Le Lievre is all about tapping solar power in an ultra-efficient way by using mirrors, concentrators and receivers that enhance its output capability immensely. Also, the new design ensures that by using 95% less silicon it will boast a 75% efficiency— compared to 23% efficiency on conventional solar cells.

Harnessing energy from sunlight and waste heat to cool down the interiors, this will not just save energy but also slash your power bills in a huge way.

In the time of recession, that surely should encourage more people to take a turn towards the green! Let the sun chill you down …

[via Ecofriend]

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A new technology patented by a new Turkish company, Solitem Group and Germans from MAN Ferrostaal should offer high efficiency solar thermal cooling systems. Yes you’re reading it right, these two companies claim they can cool your house by harnessing the heat of the sun. They tested their systems in several Southern Europe and used roof-top and ground systems, and it works.

The technology is based on 1.8-meter wide parabolic trough collectors made entirely out of aluminum, that are able to “boil” water up to 180 – 250 degrees Celsius and then through a two-stage absorption chiller, it turns heat into six degrees Celsius cold water. That water is then used to cooling the air or as steam for industrial processes. Also, the fact that they are made of aluminum this is a cheap light-weight solution that offers high stability.

“The secret lies in complex software that regulates the energy flows in the system and delivers a constant stream of water cooled to about six degrees, the perfect temperature for conventional air conditioning units,” said Solitem’s managing director Dr Ahmet Lokurlu.

The new solar thermal cooling system is a highly efficient alternative to air conditioning systems, that won’t take the usual course of cooling a house : fossil fuels into electricity and electricity into cooling.

MAN Ferrostal owns 20.1 percent stake in Solitem and will help them with sales and installation resources. They plan to bring this project across the Middle East, Africa, the US, Australia and the Mediterranean.

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