The HVAC&R industry should rename itself HVACR&S as solar energy emerges as a dominant technology over the next decade, according to CSIRO research team leader, Dr Stephen White.
"The industry will increasingly become more involved in capturing and distributing solar energy as zero energy buildings become the norm," he said.
Dr White outlines opportunities for solar cooling and heating in his presentation on the technologies and systems that will dominate the HVAC&R industry in the year 2025 which will be delivered at the CCN Live Conference on Thursday, August 8, 2013.
In his presentation, Dr White also lists existing products that are currently under-utilised including solar walls and solar air collectors.
He said there ae under-utilised ways of obtaining "free" cooling and heating from ambient sources and emerging technologies such as integrated solar photovoltaic/thermal panels that will be more widely used over the next decade.
"All these come into play as part of the mix when building energy must be drastically reduced and industry needs to get innovative," he said.
Dr White leads CSIRO's solar cooling research which is developing new techniques and technologies using low temperature solar thermal energy for cooling systems in homes, offices and buildings
His research interests include sorption cooling, refrigeration, energy efficiency and low grade heat utilisation.
Dr White leads a team of scientists and engineers designing solar cooling systems, undertaking simulation modelling, prototype development and testing.
"Current projects include developing novel desiccant materials, prototype testing of residential solar air conditioning systems and demonstrating solar cooling technologies for use in rural cool stores in India," he said.
Dr White is the Chairman of the Australian National Committee of the International Institute of Refrigeration, and Chairman of the Australian Solar Cooling Interest Group.
He is also a member of the $340million NSW Climate Change Fund Ministerial Advisory Committee.
In 2009, he received the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) President's Citation for services to the refrigeration and air conditioning industry
He was a major prize winner in the 2000 Great New Zealand Business Venture competition, for his work on the development of a liquid desiccant cogeneration process.
He was also part of teams that developed the CSIRO TrigenAir™ desiccant cooling process and introduced Co2 refrigeration to the Australian supermarket sector.
Dr White obtained a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Adelaide, South Australia, in 1994.
CCN Live presentations are divided into segments with Dr White leading the technology session which is sponsored by ActronAir.