The Southern California Gas Company is relying on the sun’s rays to provide air conditioning as well as power.
A solar photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the SoCalGas Energy Resource Centre combines mirrors and a computerised tracking system to capture sunlight and focus that energy onto an array of collectors.
The system, made by Cogenra Solar, produces electricity for the building.
It also churns out hot water to run an air chiller instead of using electricity or natural gas for the air-conditioning system.
It’s that combination of products – electricity and hot water, which can be employed for both heating and cooling – that makes the system different, according to Jeff Reed, director of emerging technologies for the Southern California Gas Company.
“This is a way to use a renewable resource, the sun, to provide most of our cooling needs,” Reed said.
Air conditioning, which often accounts for more than half of a building’s electricity consumption, is one of the largest power users in southern California in the summer.
“Demand is greatest when the sun is brightest, so that makes this even more valuable,” he said.
The Cogenra system provides 10 tonnes of cooling, or enough air conditioning for two average-sized homes.