Solar cooling may be accomplished by using solar energy to power which type of system?

• A. using solar energy to power an absorption system
• B. using solar PV to power compression cycles
• C. using wind energy to drive chiller
• D. using geothermal to operate a chiller

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is using solar energy in a way that directly drives the cooling process. An absorption refrigeration system is powered by heat, not by electricity. Solar thermal collectors capture heat from the sun and feed it to the absorber/generator in the absorption cycle, which drives the refrigeration process. This lets you produce cooling without needing electric compressors.

Other options rely on electricity or non-solar energy sources. Using solar PV to run a compression chiller requires converting sunlight to electricity first, which then drives the compressor. Wind and geothermal aren’t solar energy and don’t provide the solar-thermal energy that powers an absorption cycle.