Solar Cooling for the Sunbelt Regions

In 2016, air-conditioning accounted for nearly 20% of the total electricity demand in buildings worldwide and is growing faster than any other energy consumption in buildings. The main share of the projected growth in energy use for space cooling comes from emerging economies. Therefore, the IEA SHC Task 65 “Solar Cooling for the Sunbelt Regions”, started in July 2020, is focusing on innovations for affordable, safe and reliable Solar Cooling systems for the Sunbelt regions. The innovation is the adaptation of existing concepts/technologies to the Sunbelt regions using solar energy, either solar thermal or solar PV. The importance of the topic is reflected in the high number of experts participating in IEA SHC Task 65, especially as 50% of the Task experts come from industry and SMEs. This paper introduces the Task 65 and its first results, highlights the ongoing research projects and aims to attract a larger audience to get part of the initiative.