Energy and economic assessment of a solar air-conditioning process for thermal comfort requirements

Abstract

This paper investigates the energetic performance of solar air-conditioning by absorption chiller applied for building sector in Morocco. The combined effects of cooling profiles (Morning, Day and Morning), building categories (residential house, building office and hotel) and collector’s technology on the potential of solar cooling installation operating under various meteorological conditions (Fez (Z3), Marrakech (Z5) and Zagora (Z6)) were assessed. It is found that it is possible to save in costs of produced cooling energy for the studied zones when electricity is used as auxiliary backup for annual solar fractions between 40% and 70%. A solar fraction of 70% each year can provide between 25% and 50% as a minimization of exploitation costs between 25% and 50%. Taking into consideration the present Moroccan costs of energy resources, it is highly recommended that the costs of solar cooling equipments, especially solar collectors and absorption machines, are more decreased to become more used for both domestic and industrial sectors.