Solar Air conditioners

One does no longer need to feel guilty using air conditioners to cool down during hot weather spells now that a local company has come out with a solar cooling air conditioners.

RACHAEL KAM's article in the Business section of Saturday Star is welcome news for people seeking to save on their electricity bills.

It was reported that Solar District Cooling Sdn Bhd (SDC) – has introduced an environmental-friendly and cost-saving solar cooling system.

Established six months ago, the company is eyeing Cyberjaya as its first location to build a solar district cooling plant to power the air-conditioners at the corporate offices and residential homes in the area.

SDC managing director Chan Jian Wen says the company spent about a year on research and development to come out with the system.

After Cyberjaya, the company is targeting hospitals, district councils, airports as well as the Iskandar region in Johor Baru to introduce the solar cooling system.

It is believed that SDC is the first company in Malaysia involved in the solar air-conditioner system business.

The new solar cooling system is initially targeted at corporate clients with roof top space. Next will housing developers.

It is reported that the absorption chiller being used in the solar cooling system only needs about 5% of the energy required for a normal chiller. A lot of electricity is saved by using the solar cooling system. As 60% of a normal office and home electricity consumption goes to air conditioning, the savings would be very substantial.

As I have commented in earlier posts, it only needs the public sector to show the way. Once the government accepts and uses solar technology on a large scale, the private sector will follow siut. Demand is thus created and the technology will be cheaper based on economies of scale.

I just hope that the SDC's technology really works. The future will be so much better for all of us if it does.