Most people will readily agree that solar energy can be used to produce electricity (photovoltaic solar systems) and/or heat (thermal solar systems), but the idea of generating cool air using thermal solar collectors seems, to say the least, to go against reason. However, the greater our demand for cooling, especially in the case of air-conditioning for buildings, the more perfectly it is provided for by the greater intensity of sunlight.

Based on this observation, the teams at Soleil en Tête and the CEA teams at INES decided to start work on developing an original technology that draws on energy in thermal solar collectors to supply energy to a thermal machine capable of producing cool air.

Connected to rooftop thermal collectors, this compact system can cover all a building’s energy requirements: air-conditioning, heating and hot water. It is intended for private or collective housing. The technology boasts two major advantages: it is very reasonably priced and it produces very low greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional air-conditioning systems. The innovative nature of this technology lies primarily in the fact that the thermal machine is extremely compact and in the precision of the related I&C system.

Electricity grids in many countries are increasingly stretched to the limit because of conventional air-conditioning systems. Demand for electric power is thus the greater in the heat of the day, when both the cost of electricity and its carbon content are high. In light of this, solar-powered air-conditioning makes real sense.

Soleil en Tête has expanded thanks to the company’s expertise in solar technologies and its excellent understanding of buildings’ energy requirements. The partnership with CEA will enable it to expand its product range and target markets where demand for air-conditioning is high (United States, North Africa and Asia, etc.).

"Soleil en Tête’s commitment to solar air-conditioning is part of a drive to diversify and export. Solar energy received at the Earth’s surface covers global energy needs 900 times over, all sources combined. It is clearly the energy source of the future that we must learn to harness to meet our everyday needs. We want to play an active role in the emergence of a solid French solar energy industry,” explained Eric Laborde, CEO of Soleil en Tête.