This Article Is About Thermally Driven Air Conditioning That Is Powered By A Combination Of Solar Energy & Natural Gas.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.

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SHOWN: Home With Flat-Panel Solar Collectors On The Roof

According to Enegy.gov:  3/4 of all U.S. homes have air conditioners and residential A/C consumes 6% of all electricity produced in the United States, at an annual cost to homeowners of $29 billion.  Additionally, roughly 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) are released each year while generating the electricity needed by residential A/C in the U.S..  **

** Source: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/home-cooling-systems/air-conditioning

Thermally Driven Air Conditioning

An Upcoming New Air Conditioning Technology Is Thermally Driven Air Conditioning. Thermally driven air conditioning  operates on solar energy & is supplemented by natural gas when solar alone can not completely power the system.  The operating costs of Thermally Driven A/C will be markedly lower the today’s electric air conditioning.

While it carbon dioxide would be created when natural gas is supplementing the system, it’s a fraction of the CO2 that would be created if electricity supplemented the system.   This is due to the energy loss when converting fuel into electricity, plus the electricity that is lost during electricity transmission & distribution.

• The thermodynamic limits of generating electricity means only 65% of the energy within the fuel actually makes it onto the grid as electricity. **
• Electricity lost during the transmission & distribution = 6%.  You can actually hear those losses.  That crackling sound when you stand under a transmission tower is lost electricity. **
• If natural gas is used to generate electricity (which is common)  41% of the natural gas consumed while generating electricity is lost during; generation, transmission & distribution.
• With these facts, it’s clear why Thermally Driven A/C using natural gas as is supplemental energy source is a good idea.

** Source: http://insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/lost-in-transmission-how-much-electricity-disappears-between-a-power-plant-and-your-plug/

Advantages Of Thermally Driven Air Conditioning

• Lower Operating Costs: Electricity rates during Peak-Demand are the highest.  This is also the time when A/C’s are running the hardest.  Thermally driven chillers provide air-conditioning using solar & natural gas, eliminating electricity costs and reducing demand on the Power-Grid.

• Solar Compatible: Thermally driven chillers powered by Solar-Panels & Natural Gas keeps the amount of gas consumption low.  Only when Solar cannot provide all the electricity needed does the back-up natural gas start being used.

• Reliable: Thermally driven chillers have fewer moving parts and a longer lifespan than Electric A/C Compressors.

• Efficient: Much  more chilled water (used for air conditioning) can be supplied to the building using a thermal approach.  Waste heat can also be harvested to be used for Domestic Hot Water heating.  Waste heat can also heat swimming pools.

With Thermally Driven Air Conditioning, Less Electricity Will Be Needed From Remaining High Pollution-Generating Power Plants 

• 3rd Dirtiest Power Plant In The U.S. in 2014: Martin Lake Power Plant (Coal).  50 miles southeast of Tyler, Texas.
• 18.8 Million Metric Tons Of Carbon Dioxide Emission:  This plant has 2.250 MW of Power Generating Capacity.

• 5th Dirtiest Power Plant in 2014:  W.A. Parish Electric Generating Station, (4 Coal + 4 Natural Gas Generating-Units).  Thompsons, Texas (Houston area).
• 17.8 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Emissions.  This plant 3,653 MW Generating Capacity.

Chromasun’s Thermally Driven Air Conditioning

Chromasun, an Australian company, is currently producing Thermally Driven Air Conditioning Equipment.   While it’s not yet a widespread technology in the U.S., Thermally Driven A/C will provide a notably less costly alternative to electric Air Conditioning within the foreseeable future.   In addition to A/C, Chromasun also offers solar-enhanced Hydronic (hot water) heating and domestic water heating.

Chromasun Installations In The U.S. Include; 1. Crow Canyon Medical Center in Danville CA. 2. Santa Clara University in Benson Center, CA.

Chromasun’s Micro-Concentrator (MCT) Solar Panel is a next generation, high-performance solar collector.  The MCT uses the same technology as solar-collection systems for Electrical Utility Companies.   The MCT produces much higher temperatures than flat solar collectors.  Sunlight enters the MCT panel and is reflected off mirror strips. Then the light is concentrated & focused on the solar panel’s heat receiver.

The heat receiver contains a stainless steel pipe that is specially coated to absorb the concentrated sunlight.  Due to the MCT Technology, The receivers collects up to 20 times sunlight, and easily achieves a working temperature of up to 400°F.  Heat-transfer fluids are circulated and heated in the receiver pipe.  Common transfer fluids are; pressurized water, water-glycol mixtures, and thermal transfer oils.  Other transfer fluids can be used as well.  MCT collectors harvest more sunlight energy than any flat panel collector in similar conditions.

For typical, flat solar panels, the panels’ temperature affects how much electricity the panel can produce.  The hotter solar panel get, the less electricity they produce.  In some cases, the temperature of the solar panel can reduce its electricity output by -10 to -25%. **  Chromasun MCT collection efficiencies exceed traditional flat panel collectors at temperatures above 122°F.   MCT harvests more energy from sunlight than any other flat panel collector in these conditions.

Click Here To See A ChromaSun Solar-Collector Panel & Read How It Works Differently Than Typical Flat Panel Collectors: ChromaSun Solar Collector Panel

Example: The manufacturer of another brand of solar panels states: ” For each degree the solar panel rises above 77˚F — its output is reduced by .50% (1/2%).  At 122 degrees,  the efficiency of the solar panel is reduced by 22.5% (nearly 1/2) **

** Source: http://www.solar-facts-and-advice.com/solar-panel-temperature.html

Does A Natural Gas Powered Heat Pump Make Sense In DFW?

At This Time — No.  This May Change With Time With Increased Cooling Efficiency.  Details Shown Below.  

Robur Corporation (Headquarter in Italy and with a Production Plant in Evansville, IN) manufacturers & distributes Air-Source + Gas Heat Pumps.  Robur’s GAHP-AR generates water up to 140 degrees for heating (& hot water), and as low as 37.5-degrees for cooling.

Robur States:

• The GAHP-AR uses 750 watts of electricity per hour.  This is for the blower-fan in the outside unit.
• It produces 120,000 BTU Heating Output.  Its heating efficiency = 120%.  This means that it produces 20% more heat than gas alone can produce.
• The additional heat ix extracted from outdoor air.
• 1 Therm of Natural Gas = 100,000 BTU.
• A High-E Gas Furnace produces up to 98% of the heat that the gas alone can produce.
• t would take about 1.25 (1-1/4) therms of natural gas for a 98% High-E Gas Furnace produce 120,000 BTU’s of heat.

• The GAHP-AR produces (nearly) 60,000 BTU’s Cooling Output per 1 therm (100,000 BTU) of natural gas.   
• Its cooling efficiency is only 60%.  40% of the gas’ energy is lost during the process of producing cooling. 
• It takes 1 therm of natural gas to produce 60,000 BTU’s / of cooling.

• A 5-ton / 60,000 BTU, SEER-14 Electric Heat Pump uses 8,000 watts (8 kWh) for cooling. **
• The U.S. National Average Electricity cost = 12.85 cents per kWh.
• At 12.85 per kWh, a 5-ton, SEER-14 Heat Pump costs $1.03 per hour to run non stop.

** Source: http://www.sheridanelectric.coop/content/energy-use-chart

• The GAHP-AR requires 1 therm (100,000 BTU’s) of natural gas to produce 60,000 BTU’s of cooling.
• During Summer Months, DFW’s natural gas prices are $1.30 — $2.10 per therm (100,000 BTU’s).  **
• Additionally, there is another $.10 (10 cents) charge for the electricity used.
• The 2019 average summer cost for gas = $1.95 + $.10 for electricity.
• The DFW summer average cost to cool with this gas heat pump using natural gas = $2.05 per hour.  
• In DFW, the current model of this natural gas fired heat pump costs nearly twice that of an electric heat pump.

• Only if this technology could achieve 120% cooling efficiency would it perhaps become a viable alternative in DFW.
• At present this heat pump’s cooling efficiency = 60%.

• In other areas of the U.S. this gas heat pump might be less expensive to operate.   In depends on summer natural gas rates.
• Note: In most areas, summer rates are much higher than winter.

• If your home uses LP Gas, cooling with this gas heat pump would be nearly four times more expensive. 
• Note: 1 gallon of LP Gas produces 91,000 BTU’s.   At the time of this article, 1 Gallon Of Propane = $2.45.

NOTE: How we computed average summertime DFW natural gas price.

A natural gas therm = 100 cubic feet of natural gas & generates 100,000 BTU’s.  In 2018, the summer rate per therm of natural gas in DFW was:

• $1.29 April
• $1.62 May
• $2.02 June
• $2.16 July
• $2.39 Aug
• $2.18  Sept
• The 6-month average price per therm = $1.95

** Source: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n3010tx3m.htm

If You Have Electric Heat, Click Here To How To Save On Heating Costs With An Electric Heat Pump: AlsPlumbing.com Heat Pump Benefits

Click Here To See The Robur Air-Source + Gas Powered Heat Pump Model GAHP-AR: Robur GAHP K18 Air-Source + Gas Heat Pump   

Click Here To For More Details On The GAHP-AR: ROBUR GAHP-AR Additional Details.

The GAHP-AR provides; heating, cooling and hot water for the home. 

Source https://www.robur.com/heat_pumps/gas_absorption_heat_pump_for_homes_k18

This Article Was+ About Thermally Driven Air Conditioning That Is Powered By A Combination Of Solar Energy & Natural Gas.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home.  Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters.  Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Wylie, Rowlette, and Murphy.  We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.