Technology and quality assurance for solar thermal cooling systems
Task 48 Simplified short brochure
November 2015 - PDF 0.99MB - Posted: 2015-11-28
By: Moritz Schubert (SOLID) Dr. Uli Jakob, (Green Chiller – Association for Sorption Cooling e.V.)
Editor: Dr. Uli Jakob, (Green Chiller)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
This synthetic brochure is intended to present the main results of the Task. This brochure underlines what was the methodology used to progress on the development of quality procedures for solar cooling and what are the results on creation of tools for policy support.

Solar Cooling
Technology Position Paper
September 2015 - PDF 0.36MB - Posted: 2015-10-08
By: IEA SHC Task 48: Solar Cooling, Daniel Mugnier

Written by leading experts in the field, this paper provides an inside view for energy policy makers to understand why and how solar cooling systems should be supported and promoted.

Solar Cooling Handbook
A Guide to Solar Assisted Cooling and Dehumidification Processes
January 2014 - Posted: 2014-06-08
By: Hans Martin Henning, Mario Motta, Daniel Mugnier
Editor: Hans Martin Henning, Mario Motta, Daniel Mugnier
Publisher: Ambra Verlag
ISBN: 978-3-99043-438-3
Order - 82.00 EUR
This book in English is the absolute reference on the subject of solar thermal air conditioning. Very detailed, it is the result of the work of Task Group 48 of the IEA SHC program and has more than 350 pages in all aspects of technology: components, the system and its design approach, the economic analysis of technology and finally the feedback of field experience for both small and large systems. All sorption technologies are discussed and each time by scientists from twenty participating countries.

IEA SHC Task 48 Flyer
Quality Assurance and Support Measures for Solar Cooling
October 2011 - PDF 1.09MB - Posted: 2011-10-10
By: Task 48
A tremendous increase in the market for air-conditioning can be observed worldwide especially in developing countries. The results of the past IEA SHC Tasks and works on solar cooling (ex : Task 38 Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration) on the one hand showed the great potential of this technology for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions. On the other hand, it has been shown that further work is necessary in order to achieve economically competitive systems and which presents solid long term energy performance and reliability.

Final deliverable report on Heat Rejection Systems for solar cooling
Appendix presenting the Heat rejection database
January 2016 - XLS 1.27MB - Posted: 2016-01-05
By: Roberto Fedrizzi (EURAC)
Editor: Roberto Fedrizzi (EURAC)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)

This document is the appendix of the Final report on Heat Rejection Systems for solar cooling. It is a database presenting the different collected information on heat rejection devices

Final Report on Pumps Efficiency and Adaptability
Task 48 - A4 activity final report
December 2015 - PDF 4.03MB - Posted: 2015-03-22
By: Anita Preisler, Daniel Neyer and Alexander Thuer, Romain Siré, Mathias Safarik, Moritz Schubert, Bettina Nocke, Hilbert Focke, Khalid Nagidi, Dirk Petruschka
Editor: Martin Helm, ZAE Bayern
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier
Subtask A concentrates on developing tools and deliverables permitting to show the level of quality of the most critical components of the solar cooling and heating system. These components are mainly the chiller, the heat rejection device, the pumps and the solar collectors. This technical report focuses on pump efficiency and adaptability to part load conditions in order to minimize the electricity consumption in the hydraulic circuits to obtain a high seasonal energy efficiency ratio in solar cooling systems. In a first step a selection of market available chillers is evaluated by manufacturer design data concerning temperature differences, flow rates and pressure drops of the external hydraulic circuits and the resulting auxiliary energy electricity consumption to overcome the friction losses in the heat exchangers. While the EER for the chiller solely varies between 11.9 and 77.6 some market available chillers inherently impede good seasonal performance of the overall SHC-System. Subsequently the different hydraulic circuits of several measured solar cooling systems are analyzed concerning their portion on the overall seasonal electricity consumption. Typically more than 50 % of the auxiliaries are caused by the heat rejection system including cooling water pumps and fan. A short observation of the portion of pump costs in SHC-Systems confirms the almost negligible impact on overall investment costs and absence of meaningful cost-saving opportunities. Furthermore due to substantially reduced operation costs high-efficiency pumps help to reduce operational costs. But the deployment of high-efficiency pumps in solar cooling installations does not implicate an efficient pumping automatically. The strong relationship between pump and plant curve demands a proper system design and pump selection. The way things are an overall SEER of 20 for well-designed small scale solar cooling systems and more seems to be feasible. Specific Objectives A state of the art analysis will be conducted on this component in close cooperation with ongoing IEA-SHC Tasks 44 and 45, where these issues are tackled as well. Furthermore the design criterions of market available chillers concerning temperature levels and pressure drop in the heat exchangers are assessed. In addition to that a performance coefficient called Auxiliary Energy Consumption Ratio (AECR) for the overall hydraulic efficiency is introduced in order to compare the design of various hydraulic circuits of SHC-systems in different capacity classes. A short theoretical introduction into the rotodynamic pump design helps to avoid planning errors, adverse duty points and simplifies a correct pump selection. A particular focus will be addressed to the adaptability of the technology to part load production conditions. Finally an investigation will be done on the best practices for electric consumption reduction for pumping in the different hydraulic loops of a solar cooling system. Best practice will be valorized always including the compromise between efficiency and simplicity

Final report on State of the art on new collectors & characterization for solar cooling
Task48 - Activity A6 Final Report
December 2015 - PDF 0.42MB - Posted: 2015-03-22
By: Marco Calderoni, Jochen Doel,l Korbinian Kramer, Stephen White, Daniel Mugnier, Uli Jakob, Christian Zahler
Editor: Marco Calderoni
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier
An extensive market overview of existing concentrating collectors has been conducted so as to create easy to consult database (like the existing Solar Key mark one for certified collectors). This database has been periodically updated during IEA Task 48 work and extended with information relating the certification process of such collectors. Concentrating collectors can nowadays be tested according to several standards (see also Kramer, Mehnert et al. 2011), the most important and enhanced one (also basis for certification according Keymark, SRCC, and others) is (Norm ISO 9806:2013[E]). New components and approaches, currently under development, have been included into the survey and their use in existing solar cooling plants has been investigated

Final report on State of the art on new collectors & characterization for solar cooling : appendix with Collector database
Task48 - Activity A6 Final Report appendix
December 2015 - XLS 0.01MB - Posted: 2015-03-22
By: Marco Calderoni
Editor: Marco Calderoni
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier

This document is the appendix of the Final report on State of the art on new collectors & characterization. It is a database presenting the different collected information on new collector models

Chiller Characterization
Final A1 Deliverable Report
September 2015 - PDF 1.36MB - Posted: 2015-11-10
By: Patrizia Norina Melograno, Polytechnic of Milan –Energy Department
Editor: Salvatore Vasta (CNR), Francois Boudehenn (CEA), Roberto Fedrizzi (EURAC), Jochen Doell (FhG ISE)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
The objective of Subtask A1 is to supply the tools necessary for assessing the quality level of the sorption chillers installed in solar cooling plants. Particular attention has been given therefore to all those methods able to characterize the chillers at off-design conditions and during the transitory phases typical for these kind of applications. With this regard, two test procedures aimed at the “mapping” of the chillers at full load and at partial load and able to provide specific provisions on the basis of their operation (i.e. continuous and discontinuous) have been developed. The expected result is to achieve reliable data, coming from laboratory tests, that can be used as input for calculation methods for the seasonal performance evaluation of the chillers, like the BIN METHOD, or as input for the development of numerical models able to simulate their behavior on annual basis within specific boundaries. For their drafting, the testing protocols available on the dedicated normative scenario and according to the current criteria of the Eco-design and the Eco-labeling directives have been used as reference. The present final report deals with these two test procedures and includes the approach used for their drafting, the description of the test protocols in terms of rating conditions, testing methodology and the testing apparatus, and the results obtained from the first attempt of validation of the developed test procedures.

Final deliverable report on Heat Rejection Systems for solar cooling
Task 48 - Final Activity report A3
January 2014 - PDF 3.63MB - Posted: 2015-02-02
By: Roberto Fedrizzi, Alice Vittoriosi, Davide Romeli, Matteo D’Antoni, Hannes Fugmann, Björn Nienborg, Khalid Nagidi, Marc Sheldon
Editor: Roberto Fedrizzi
SHC Task 48 Subtask A concentrates on developing tools and deliverables to show the level of quality of the most critical components of the solar cooling and heating system. These components are mainly the chiller, the heat rejection device, the pumps and the solar collectors. This report gives an overview of existing and novel concepts for heat rejection devices in solar cooling systems and recommendations on which heat rejection measure should be used under different boundary conditions (climate, system concept etc.) while achieving the 2 main objectives: 1) investment & operation costs minimization 2) re-cooling performance and efficiency. For selected components, where it was possible, a performance characterization has been made in partnership with manufacturers.

Report on system characterization in the laboratory
Final B1/C7 delivery report
November 2015 - PDF 2.89MB - Posted: 2015-11-28
By: Diego Menegon & Roberto Fedrizzi (EURAC)
Editor: Roberto Fedrizzi (EURAC)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
The performance of a heating and cooling system is strongly affected by the way the single components are integrated together and by the boundary conditions, which the system is subject to. This is mostly true for systems driven by a number of different energy sources and setup with a complex control strategy. In these cases, the dynamics of the system have to be taken into account, in order to perform a reliable system characterization. The implementation of a dynamic laboratory tests procedure allows to evaluate the performance considering those aspects. Different procedures are currently under development by different research institutes but their implementation is still debatable. The aim of a dynamic test procedure is to assess the system performance when operating under real-like boundary conditions. To develop a suitable procedure, some requirements are defined in order to reliably evaluation the system performance: • The test should represent the behaviour of the system in a real installation. • The result should represent the seasonal performance. • The result must be accurate and reliable. • The test must be easy to perform and cost effective to be attractive for industry. • The procedure should be reproducible for different systems, climates and loads. In this document, different dynamic test approaches are reviewed versus standardised stationary test methods. In addition, a test procedure newly developed at EURAC is presented and compared to the other. The latter results are reported with respect to a solar assisted heat pump system, while to-date the test has not been proved on a solar cooling system. Nonetheless, the degree of complication of the heating and cooling system presented here is comparable with a solar cooling one. Moreover the test procedure has been assessed on a single adsorption chiller operating in a real solar cooling plant, showing positive results system. This suggests that the procedure could be wholly extended to solar heating and cooling systems

Collection of Good Practices for DEC design and installation
Task 48 - Activity B2 final report
November 2015 - PDF 12.06MB - Posted: 2015-12-06
By: Tim Selke (AIT), Antoine Frein (POLIMI), Alexander Morgenstern (FhG ISE), Subbu Sethuvenkatraman (CSIRO), Khalid Nagidi (EMCG), Steven Harrison (Queen's Uni), Pietro Finocchiaro (UNIPA), Yanjun Dai (SJTU)
Editor: Tim Selke
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier
The work plan of IEA SHC Task48 addresses quality assurance and support measures for ‘Solar Cooling Technology’ with a strong focus on solar heat driven chillers like ab- and adsorption cooling machines. Nevertheless, activity B2 of SHC Task 48 lead by Austrian partners is dedicated to keep an eye on the open cycle principle with respect to new technical research and developments and as well to produce an extensive report on Good Practice examples of existing solar heat driven desiccant evaporative cooling (SDEC) systems. A desiccant evaporative cooling (DEC) system fulfils all tasks of an air-conditioning system: a) temperature and humidity control and b) control of hygienic air quality by supplying fresh air. Generally speaking the DEC technique applies three thermodynamic principles to treat air without using conventional compression chiller technology: a) dehumidification of supply air with the help of sorption material, b) efficient sensible heat recovery and c) cooling of supply and return air by using evaporative cooling effect. The solar heat is introduced in order to discharge the sorption material loaded by water vapor of ambient air. A profound DEC technology introduction is written in the 3rd edition of the ‘Solar Cooling Handbook’ . General targets of the B2 activity are: • To support quality assurance and support measures for SDEC technology • To give an overview about worldwide installed SDEC systems • To express newest R&D activities • To highlight on existing quality labels of SDEC subsystems • To produce helpful guidance in order to stimulate stakeholder to realize SDEC This activity aims at producing a comprehensive report on quality assurance and support measures for ‘Solar heat driven desiccant evaporative cooling systems’. This SDEC technology is not the major focus in the SHC Task 48, but a limited number of activities contributors tried to observe and highlight on one hand new R&D results and on the other hand to document on GOOD PRACTICE CASES of already operated and monitored SDEC systems in three different climatic regions. Finally this cooperation in the framework of the International Energy Agency generated a report with the following chapters: CHAPTER 2 - WORLDWIDE INSTALLED SDEC SYSTEMS, This chapter document on the latest updated worldwide survey on existing solar air-conditioning DEC systems. According to the market survey conducted already in the previous SHC Task 38 , solar heat driven DEC systems have a low market share with regard to the other closed cycle systems (absorption and adsorption chillers) driven by solar heat. The survey identified 30 different SDEC systems, where a different concepts and technologies are applied. This chapter allows getting an overview into the variety of worldwide operated SDEC systems. CHAPTER 3 - NEW TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS Chapter 4 provides documentation on some R&D activities on four solar heat driven air-conditioning concepts and systems. The technical scope of this data collection is not limited to any specific sorption technology, but there is a dominance of open cycle application. There was not a fix structure given thus the authors decided what and how to present their R&D work. CHAPTER 4 - EXISTING QUALITY LABELS OF DIFFERENT SUBSYSTEMS OF SDEC SYSTEMS The purpose of this chapter is to describe the existing quality labels, standards and certifications to define the performance specifications of desiccant wheel and DEC system. This chapter is divided in 4 parts: a) Existing certification for regenerative heat ex-changers; b) Standards for active dehumidification wheels; c) Manufacturers’ technical data for desiccant wheel and d) Desiccant-based dehumidi¬¬fication equipment; CHAPTER 5 – GOOD PRACTICE With this chapter three selected ‘Good Practice SDEC systems’ from Austria, Australia and Italy are presented along the entire project phase, i.e. design and operational phase. The SDEC projects were scientifically accompanied by SHC Task48 participants, therefore first analysis of simulation results of the SDEC technology are documented. The SDEC systems are equipped with measurement devices which fulfil the requirements of the 3rd level evaluation according to the IEA SHC Task 38 monitoring procedure . The energy performance of the SDEC systems operation is displayed by monthly values of both energy fluxes and key performance indicators. The ‘Good Practice SDEC system’ report on each system closes with findings and lessons learned in order to guide next projects; What quality and support measures lead to a successful SDEC system implementation with high energy performance, high quality of indoor comfort and high user friendliness for facility manager ?

Report for self-detection on monitoring procedure
Task 48 - Activity B6 final report
January 2015 - PDF 5.07MB - Posted: 2015-06-15
By: Dirk Pietruschka, Antoine Dalibard, Ilyes Ben Hassine, Hilbert Focke, Florian Judex and Anita Preisler, Martin Helm, Philip Ohnewein, Antoine Frein
Editor: Dirk Pietruschka, HFT-Stuttgart
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier, TECSOL
Starting from the statement of existing efficient system control (overview achieved in former IEA Task 38), a second generation of control system is needed to be developed which includes self-detection of faults and malfunctioning of the process based on a reduced monitoring. This new powerful functionality will be a key component assuring long term good reliability and performance of the system. This activity includes an update of good practice on the monitoring procedure starting from the experience and procedures developed during IEA SHC Task 38. However, possible system errors in solar cooling systems are diverse and reach from component defects over simple sensor faults to real control problems. Therefore, as a basic for new developments of automated fault detection systems within working group B6 first a categorization of typical system errors has been carried out. For each fault category typical errors have been collected and possible methods for error detection are discussed together with necessary monitoring equipment. In the last part of the document possible implementations of automated fault detection systems within local system controllers and within centralized internet based system observation systems are shown. For the development of a systematic error detection system, it is required that first of all the possible system errors are collected and sorted in logical error categories. Based on this error detection, methods can be developed for each category and type of error. To reach these goals the following steps were used within working group B6: - Collection of the different typical system errors which occurred in different demonstration sites - Characterization of these system errors for the different solar cooling systems - Development and documentation of possible methods on how the most common system errors can be detected (sensor based and simulation based) - Definition of minimum required additional sensors for the application of improved fault detection methods The present document summarizes the work performed by and the information collected within working group B6. This includes experiences made in many different demonstration projects with solar thermal heating and cooling applications. Furthermore, ongoing developments in the field of automated fault detection methods for the different error categories are described. The main aim of the document is to give the reader an overview on the typical system errors and possibilities for a fast detection using automated system observation methods.

Collection of criteria to quantify the quality and cost competitiveness for solar cooling systems
Task 48 - Activity B7
January 2015 - PDF 3.35MB - Posted: 2015-06-15
By: Daniel Neyer, Jacqueline Neyer, Alexander Thür, Roberto Fedrizzi, Alice Vittoriosi, Stephen White, Hilbert Focke
Editor: Daniel Neyer, University of Innsbruck
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier, TECSOL
Subtask B concentrates on developing tools and deliverables permitting to show the level of quality of the solar cooling and heating systems. In order to achieve this goal, procedures (possibly 1 or more if needed) have to be developed extending the quality characteristics from a component level (Subtask A) to a system level. Starting from 1) on-going work in the IEA Annex 34 and Task 44, the French MéGaPICS and the EMERGENCE projects and former work performed in IEA Task38, 2) suitable analysis procedures classified in standards and 3) work performed at research level, an extension of the procedures will be developed from single stationary tests to a system performance prediction over the whole year (based on standardized and generally accepted conditions). In B7, a proposal for an appropriate evaluation procedure for the technical and economic performance assessment of large systems is set up and tested with real cases. It delivers the basis for a comparable assessment of the installed plants independently of installation site and the specific boundary conditions. Beside, a reflection will be carried out on minimum economical ratios to estimate the competitiveness of solar cooling against concurrent technologies. This activity will give an input and will be carried out in close collaboration with activities B1 (System/Subsystem characterization & field performance assessment) and C2 (Methodology for performance assessment, rating and benchmarking). This activity is to be carried out to survey the available procedures that could be adapted to solar cooling systems quality assessment. 1. A collection and review of existing key figures to quantify quality and cost will be performed but also the specific tools to calculate them will be reviewed. 2. Define the crucial key figures for large scale plants (in cooperation with B1) and find a representation for all of the key figures. 3. Review how benchmarks can be calculated (in cooperation with C2) and define minimum ratios for them. 4. Data acquisition for investment (SHC + reference system) and operating (electricity, etc.) costs has to be done in order to find specific minimum economic ratios. 5. The procedure has to be tested and validated with real installations. Therefore participating companies and institutions will provide monitoring data. Key for the success of this activity is that research institutions are willing to assess the test methods in their laboratories/test sites

Report on Labelling possibilities investigation
Final C5 deliverable report
October 2015 - PDF 1.11MB - Posted: 2015-11-10
By: Uli Jakob (Green Chiller Association for Sorption Cooling e.V)
Editor: Stephen D. White (CSIRO)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL SA)
The work within the subtask C “Market support measures” is related to create a panel of measures to support the solar cooling market. These measures will use the results of Subtasks A “Quality procedure on component level” and B “Quality procedure on system level” and will above all explore the possibilities to identify, rate and verify the quality and performance of solar cooling solutions. The resulting tools are intended to provide a framework that will enable policy makers to craft suitable interventions (e.g. certificates, label and contracting etc.) that will support solar cooling on a level playing field with other renewable energy technologies. Even if the completion of these tools will not be achieved rapidly, the subtask should permit to initiate all and maybe conclude some of them. From the past and present experience with labelling of solar systems (e.g. Solar Keymark, Blauer Engel, etc.) or “Green quality” labels such as LEED or Green Building Council tools, within the framework of Activity C5 “Labelling possibilities investigation”, existing labels as well as different standards for solar cooling and sorption heat pumps were investigated to create a Solar cooling label itself or (more probable) a specific Solar cooling extension(s) to the existing labels. This activity has mainly exploratory and firstly make a full state of the art of the labelling process, which could welcome the solar cooling technology on their scope. From these information’s, investigations on how to integrate them or even how to create an independent Solar Cooling Label were investigated and theorized if accurate.

Final report on Contracting Models for Solar Thermally Driven Cooling and Heating Systems
Task 48 - C6 activity final report
September 2014 - PDF 1.99MB - Posted: 2014-11-19
By: Moritz Schubert & Sabine Putz, S.O.L.I.D. Gesellschaft für Solarinstallation und Design mbH (s.putz@solid.at)
Editor: Daniel Mugnier
The IEA Task 48 focuses on projects which make solar thermally driven heating and cooling systems at the same time more efficient, reliable and cost competitive. Within the four subtasks, quality procedures on component levels, quality procedures on system levels, market support measures and dissemination and policy advices were elaborated. This Subtask C6 report´s activity will emphasize contracting models for solar cooling systems. For that purpose, a narrow collaboration was established with ongoing IEA SHC Task 45 on large systems for district heating and cooling systems. This analysis focuses on details, such as investment models, contracts and other relevant issues with regard to which information on ESCos is limited and dispersed in the EU and worldwide. The work will also deepen our understanding of hurdles which ESCos are faced with and will provide information on ways of overcoming such hurdles in practice. Solar thermal technology is defined as a technology used to harness energy from the sun for use in a thermal process. There are a wide variety of applications for this technology, including, but not limited to, water/process heating, radiant heating and air conditioning. In each application, solar energy is obtained through a solar collector and transferred to a thermal process. Given the proper conditions and system design, solar thermal technology can provide a reliable and cost-effective energy source in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. In the field of solar air conditioning, an exponential increase of activities occurred during the last years. Some solar cooling systems are available at small scale, starting at approx. 15 kW. Below this figure a lot of research was done to achieve satisfactory results in regard of the systems´ thermal efficiency. Most solar cooling installations were realized in the scale between 15 kW and 500 kW, being perfectly suitable for all buildings that have a continuous and regular load profile (e.g. public buildings, offices, hospitals…). Since 2011, there are also solar thermal cooling systems with cooling powers beyond 1 Megawatt in operation, like in Singapore and the USA. These systems were the first solar cooling systems based on ESCo financing models. Solar collectors for air conditioning of buildings are generally also used for other applications, such as space heating and domestic hot water preparation. Latter usually contributes to a reduced payback time of the investment. The technologies of concentrating solar cooling applications as well as the technology of solar flat plate cooling applications have their specific advantages or disadvantages in each case, depending on location and application characteristics. Components have to be carefully selected and developed through an integrated design approach to become a functional system. ESCos for solar thermal air conditioning are in many cases a competitive energy service concept to execute energy efficiency projects in buildings or production facilities. Further work will be done in the IEA SHC Task 48 and other projects to make this financial service more competitive and superior to other products

Review of relevant international standards rating and incentive schemes
Task48 - Activity C1 Final Report
January 2013 - PDF 1.43MB - Posted: 2014-02-09
By: Daniel Rowe, Dr. Stephen White, Daniel Mugnier and Khalid Nagidi
Editor: Daniel Rowe
A large number of government incentive programmes and industry development programmes have been instituted in different jurisdictions, to assist the renewable energy and building energy efficiency industries. These programmes call up procedures for quantifying benefits, rating effectiveness and achieving robust measurement and verification. A database of relevant standards, processes and incentives has been created and links to the needs of the solar heating and cooling industry have been analysed.

Final report Measurement and Verification Procedures
Task 48 C4 Final report
January 2013 - PDF 3.44MB - Posted: 2014-02-09
By: Francois Boudéhenn, Stuart Hands, Stephen White, Christian Zahler & Farah Gammoh
Editor: Francois Boudéhenn
While Measurement & Verification (M&V) procedures (e.g. IPMVP, ASHRAE and FEMP) exist for general energy conservation measures, it is desirable to have a more specific and targeted guide for solar cooling in order to simplify procedures, improve confidence in results and to assist M&V implementation with more detailed guidance. The resulting in-situ and ex-situ measurement procedures have been written up as a document suitable for submission as a draft standard. The present final deliverable is a monitoring procedure and a draft standard integrating the following aspects: - Presentation of a generic scheme for solar cooling installations; - Definition of one (or two maximum) performance indicators, with associated calculation method applied to the generic scheme; - Prescription of the sensors required (position, technologies, …) in order to obtain the needed information for calculating the performance indicator(s); - Definition of the analysis method for reporting the performance and quality of the installation.

Guidelines for Roadmaps on Solar Cooling
Final D4 Deliverable Report
November 2015 - PDF 2.63MB - Posted: 2015-11-28
By: Anita Preisler (AIT), Tim Selke (AIT), Uli Jakob (Green Chiller Association for Sorption Cooling e.V), Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
Editor: Tim Selke (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
The Task 48 D4 activity focuses on roadmapping process and benefits strongly from the published ‘Energy Technology Roadmaps a guide to development and implementation’ of International Energy Agency in 2014. Giving advice for developing roadmap focussing only on solar thermal cooling technology would not lead to the entire picture while the most roadmaps identified address all other promising application of solar heat. The authors of D4 report structured the document as follows. CHAPTER 2 – Review process This chapter is a result of the screening process of existing roadmaps for solar heat technologies. Seven roadmaps from different countries have be identified and taken for analysis with respect to the applied methodology and topics. Furthermore there is information about renewable energy and other policy incentive schemes. A study from United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defines five categories and the 20 policy instruments and assess qualitative their relative technical and cost effectiveness and comments on limitations, strengths and special cases. CHAPTER 3 – Guideline for Roadmapping The guideline of roadmapping is strongly based on the published a new edition on ‘Energy Technology Roadmaps a guide to development and implementation [IEA Guide]. This guide is taken as a useful source to elaborate a guide for SHC Technology roadmaps in the framework of SHC Task48. This guideline addresses four different phases for developing a roadmap; i.e. a) Planning and preparation, b) Visioning and target definition phase, c) Roadmap development and d) Roadmap implementation and adjustment. All four phase are briefly described and additionally selected examples from three different existing roadmaps are presented.

Best practice brochure on solar cooling
Activity D2 - delivery report
November 2015 - PDF 2.68MB - Posted: 2015-11-30
By: Uli Jakob (Green Chiller Association)
Editor: Uli Jakob (Green Chiller Association)
Publisher: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL)
This Subtask D2 activity was aimed to produce a high quality brochure presenting selected reduced number of Best practice examples. Therefore, input from other activities like C3 and the Task 48 participants have been explored to use it for this activity. In activity C3 first draft of “IEA Quality Engineered Solar Air-conditioning Design Examples: A companion to the IEA Solar Cooling Handbook” has been prepared including three solar cooling technologies: a small-scale single-effect absorption chiller system in Austria, a medium-size single-effect absorption chiller system including DHW production in France and a large-scale double-effect absorption chiller system in Australia. Additional 9 further best practice examples were collected from the Task 48 participants, thus a total of 12 projects are summarized in the best practice brochure. The selected solar cooling projects presented in the brochure represent different applications like office buildings (6), school/institute buildings (4), commercial buildings (1) and residential buildings (1). The projects are located in North America (1), Europe (4) and mostly in South-East Asia (7). The cooled floor spaces of these buildings range between 240 m² up to 11,000 m². The best annual electrical COPel are between 6 and 25, which is an average value of about 12.9. The specific installed system costs are 7,300 EUR/kW for small-scale systems and in average 1,900 EUR/kW for large-scale systems.

Europe Asia Solar Cooling Gains Traction
January 2012 - Posted: 2014-04-04
By: Bärbel Epp
Editor: Solarthermalworld
Publisher: Solarthermalworld
Large Japanese and Chinese companies have recently taken a greater interest in solar cooling. The photo shows an installation by Chinese company Jiangsu Huineng New Energy Technology (Huin), which started supplying solar cooling systems this year. New system kits help drive down costs, although investments in sorption chillers are still higher than for compression chillers. After the Intersolar Europe conference in Munich, Germany, and its dedicated solar cooling session, Uli Jakob, Vice President of the German sorption chiller association Green Chiller, noted: “Solar cooling was one of the highlights of the conference.”

Keeping Cool with the Sun
Latest Developments on Solar Cooling and Task 48 Short Presentation
January 2012 - PDF 1.36MB - Posted: 2012-04-12
By: Daniel Mugnier (TECSOL) & Uli Jakob (SOLEM Consulting)
Publisher: International Sustainable Energy Review
Worldwide, the energy consumption required for cold and air conditioning is rising rapidly. Usual electrically driven compressor chillers (split units) have maximum energy consumption in peak-load periods during the summer. In the last few years in Southern Europe this has regularly led to grids working to maximum capacity and blackouts. In recent years, the sales figures of split units with a cooling capacity range of up to 5KW have risen rapidly. www.internationalsustainableenergy.com

Task 48 Highlights 2015
April 2016 - PDF 0.27MB - Posted: 2016-04-08
The demand for air-conditioning is rapidly increasing, especially in developing countries. And the potential for solar cooling to meet this demand is immense. The results of past IEA SHC work in this field (most recently, SHC Task 38: Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration) have demonstrated the technology’s potential for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions, and identified work needed to achieve economically competitive systems that provide solid long-term energy performance and reliability.

Task 48 Highlights 2014
February 2015 - PDF 0.13MB - Posted: 2015-02-12
The demand for air-conditioning is rapidly increasing, especially in developing countries. And the potential for solar cooling to meet this demand is immense. The results of past IEA SHC work in this field (most recently, SHC Task 38: Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration) have demonstrated the technology’s potential for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions, and identified work needed to achieve economically competitive systems that provide solid long-term energy performance and reliability.

Task 48 Highlights 2013
Quality Assurance and Support Measures for Solar Cooling
February 2014 - PDF 0.3MB - Posted: 2014-03-03
The demand for air-conditioning is rapidly increasing, especially in developing countries. And the potential for solar cooling to meet this demand is immense. The results of past IEA SHC work in this field (most recently, SHC Task 38: Solar Air- Conditioning and Refrigeration) have demonstrated the technology’s potential for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions, and identified work needed to achieve economically competitive systems that provide solid long-term energy performance and reliability.

Task 48 Highlights 2012
January 2013 - PDF 0.17MB - Posted: 2013-02-10
The demand for air-conditioning is rapidly increasing, especially in developing countries. And the potential for solar cooling to meet this demand is immense. The results of past IEA SHC work in this field (most recently, SHC Task 38: Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration) have demonstrated the technology’s potential for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions, and identified work needed to achieve economically competitive systems that provide solid long-term energy performance and reliability.

Task 48 Highlights 2011
January 2012 - PDF 0.48MB - Posted: 2014-04-04
The demand for air-conditioning is rapidly increasing, especially in developing countries. And the potential for solar cooling to meet this demand is immense. The results of past IEA SHC work in this field (most recently, SHC Task 38: Solar Air- Conditioning and Refrigeration) have demonstrated the technology’s potential for building air-conditioning, particularly in sunny regions, and identified work needed to achieve economically competitive systems that provide solid long-term energy performance and reliability.

PISTACHE Tool (Presizing tool for solar cooling, heating and domestic hot water production systems)
Task 48 - Posted: 2018-06-18

The PISTACHE software is a tool to pre-size and evaluate the performances of solar installation for cooling, heating and domestic hot water preparation, with or without energy back-up system.

The tool aims to realize easy and quick calculation of solar installation for cooling, heating and DHW production. It helps the user to pre-size the installation and provides energy balance and annual performance indicators.
 
The tool is composed of a user interface to upload an input file, to fill the parameter and to choose the main component characteristics. The tool also includes the calculation tables, the material databases and a step by step help file.

To use PISTACHE, you need to get annual hourly data with meteorological data of the concerned site, cooling and heating loads and the net domestic hot water demand. The data must be provided in a text file with a specific format; the format is given in the step by step help of the software.

PISTACHE distribution is free of charge. It has been developped by TECSOL and the CEA at INES in the MeGaPICS project, partly financed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) in the framework of the HABISOL program.
To get more information, go directly to the following link: http://e-learning.ines-solaire.org/course/view.php?id=327&lang=en

LCA Method Tool
Task 48 - Software - Posted: 2018-06-18

The LCA Method Tool is a tool for applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which is a technique for assessing the energy and environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life cycle from cradle to grave. LCA Method Tool can be used to create life cycle energy and environmental balances of SHC systems, to carry out simplified LCAs, and to compare the SHC systems with conventional ones.

Data on specific energy and environmental impacts of different components of SHC and conventional systems are provided with the tool. LCA Method Tool can easily be expanded with the life cycle data of new components or updated with new life cycle data for the existing components.

 

The visualization approach of the tool enables users to build the SHC system model by using a clear and transparent structure. Input data, specific impacts, total impacts are reported in separate worksheets; therefore, each worksheet can be easily consulted or compiled. The LCA results are displayed both in tables and in figures and are referred both to specific life cycle steps (manufacturing, operation and end-of-life steps) and to the total life cycle.

The tool is developed in xls format and contains the following worksheets:

• Index;
• SHC system;
• Conventional system;
• Specific impacts SHC system;
• Specific impacts conventional system;
• Calculation (hidden sheet used to make calculations);
• Total impacts SHC system;
• Total impacts conventional system;
• Impacts comparison;
• Payback indices.

The tool can be used only for academic and research activities.

The LCA method tool can be downloaded here.

4 examples can be found here.

Technical and Economic Key Figures Tool
Task 48 - Software - Posted: 2018-06-18

This Excel tool is permitting to go for an appropriate evaluation procedure for the technical and economic performance assessment of large systems is set up and tested with real cases.

It delivers the basis for a comparable assessment of the installed plants independently of installation site and the specific boundary conditions. Beside, a reflection will be carried out on minimum economical ratios to estimate the competitiveness of solar cooling against concurrent technologies.

 

The tool can be found here and a short description on its content is available here.

In addition of using this tool and for further information on the methodology, it is advised to read the Task 48 B7 final report on Collection of criteria to quantify the quality and cost competitiveness for solar cooling systems