Types of Solar Cooling

There are different possibilities to achieve solar cooling. It can be achieved either by generating electricity and operating a compressor or by using the solar heat directly to operate a heat-driven cooling cycle. A mapping of different possibilities is shown below:

Different possibilities to achieve solar cooling (Source: Fraunhofer, UMSICHT)

Of the above possibilities, the ones using thermal energy directly to produce cooling are more efficient as they do not have other intermediary conversion processes.

ADsorption, ABsorption and Desiccant Evaporative Cooling use solar heat directly and are suitable under various conditions.