Dubai: Solar tubes rather than solar panels are harnessing the sun's energy in a more efficient way to cool an industrial property in the Jebel Ali free zone and has already recorded energy savings up to 60 per cent.
Using solar power to run air-conditioning chillers at the headquarters of Swedish welding company ESAB since May 2010 has helped it achieve the highest in green building ratings — LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum, said Lars-Olof Johansson, director of Dew Kylsystem, the company behind the technology installed at the complex.
"Combined with thermal storage the solar panels run solar chillers. It's the first time the two have been put together and it makes it a little bit unique," said Johansson. The system can store energy for up to three hours but overnight a conventional chiller can be used if needed. Seventy per cent of an estimated 56.6 terrawatts of power consumed by the UAE is used to cool and light buildings. Using the sun to power air-conditioning units could see a huge reduction in the energy consumption in the UAE.
The tubes are actually more efficient than flat solar panels by up to 21.7 per cent. Made of non-porous glass, dust and accumulated sand can be blown away much easier than on panels whose efficiency is seriously hampered by the climate in the UAE.
So far the solar powered air-conditioning units have managed to maintain a cool 22 degrees Celsius temperature at the height of August heat in the UAE, said Johansson.
The ClimateWell solar chillers have been developed by Kingspan Solar, an Ireland-based sustainable technology company and save a minimum of 45 per cent of electricity in buildings.
