Dr. Cool is branching out.
Besides installing and service air conditioning units, Dr. Cool is now marketing solar-assisted AC systems.
Solar panels are installed on a house or business's roof, and they collect energy. The main difference from an electric AC unit is that instead of drawing energy from the electric grid, the solar air conditioner uses steam from sun-heated water to power the system, according to Ecolocalizer.com.
The Inquiring Iguana did his best to read up about this process but was not able to figure out how it works. Giving up, he watched a promotional video the St. John guys produced. See it here.
Sounds like a good idea. Using less electricity at the island's usurious rates is certainly smart. One caveat … the Solar AC's guys Web site indicates that the solar panels really need a flat surface, so if your casa has those wavy, colorful tiles, you'll need to find another place for the panels to be installed.
Solar Jeff's Web site has a bit of information here, but not much. http://solarstjohn.com/node
Well, that’s not how solar-assisted air conditioning works and, in fact my website has the link to the YouTube video I made of our installation. That system is the first in the Virgin Islands and the system is the only US engineered solar-assisted ac on the market. I promote the sales of these systems as part of my solar consulting program. My website is: http://www.stjohnsolar.com
I HAVE KNOWN CAPTAIN “SOLAR” JEFF FOR ABOUT 26 YEARS AND YOU COULDN’T FIND A MORE KNOWLEDGABLE, “HANDS ON” ST JOHNIAN TECHNICAL GURU. HIS LOCAL CONTACTS TRANSCEND THE “CONTINENTAL” DIVIDE……
Solar is great at supplying electricity and heat from the same collectors. And cooling can be acomplished most efficiently by simply circulating fluid through pipes underground and in the homes inner structure using solar electric powered pumps. Use it.
Thank goodness for solar panel technology that converts the sun’s ultraviolet rays into energy for air-conditioning! All you need is a good roof deck and everything’s good to go! It can save a lot of money for a resort that houses a lot of guests!
We used to think in the past that the sun makes the temperature here on Earth hotter, especially at noon and during summer. But by harnessing its power and using it to operate air conditioning systems, that same heat can create a cool breeze that makes our homes comfortable to live in. I’m looking forward to see that new technology be applied not only in residential structures but also in commercial establishments like malls and airports.
I think it’s pretty smart for Dr. Cool to harness solar energy for powering the AC. That can definitely help cut down the electric consumption of AC use in homes. The next step for them now is to find a way to make the technology more efficient in terms of converting sunlight into electricity and channeling that power to be used by the AC.
Nothing’s cooler than a solar assisted AC system! Too good to be true, isn’t it? With this new development in AC technology, more people can now have an AC in their own home without the fear of having to pay a huge electric bill.