| At first glance, solar cooling looks like an | | | | Solar panels can also be used to operate |
| oxymoron. However, the same energy that can | | | | traditional air conditioners. As it happens, the |
| provide heat in the wintertime can also provide | | | | periods of intense heat correspond to the periods |
| cooling during the summer. | | | | of peak electricity production from photovoltaic |
| Several passive cooling systems have been | | | | cells. As long as you have solar panels which |
| developed and tested. At their simplest, they rely | | | | generate sufficient to electricity, you can operate |
| on a coolant that absorbs and dissipates heat | | | | air conditioners at no cost. |
| from the house. This could be a pool of water on | | | | Solar cooling that does not take advantage of |
| the rooftop which absorbs seat from the inside of | | | | high technology is another possibility. The Romans |
| the house as it evaporates on exposure to the | | | | used a system of running water to cool down |
| sun. | | | | exterior walls of their houses. The heat of the |
| More sophisticated passive solar cooling systems | | | | sun causes the water to evaporate and dissipate |
| have a solar collector which is shaded during the | | | | the heat within the house. This kind of system |
| daytime. A storage medium collects heat during | | | | can be used on walls or on rooftops. |
| the day and dissipates it at night by exposing the | | | | Heating and cooling are two of the biggest |
| solar collector to the cool night air. | | | | expenses for most households. Using solar energy |
| Since the solar collector must be shaded, a | | | | to reduce this expense makes sense financially as |
| retractable awning or overhang extension can be | | | | well as ecologically. The less dependent we are on |
| installed. Since the system can be reversed in the | | | | fossil fuels for heating and cooling the cleaner the |
| winter months, it is important that the solar | | | | environment will be. |
| collector can be exposed to sunshine if needed. | | | | |