Analysis of Solar Cooling Technology in UAE and Outlook with South African Conditions

The study is aimed at investigating the technological and economic aspects of solar cooling technology in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a place where electricity needs for cooling accounts for a substantial amount of the annual electricity consumption of the country due to hot and humid climate. A 10 TR solar cooling system for a single townhouse and another 50 TR system for cluster of townhouses, located in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) are studied and compared. Both systems are technically applicable and their Coefficient of Performance (COP) reaches typical values of conventional absorption cooling. However, both systems still lack economic competitiveness towards conventional cooling technologies. Projected outlook of solar cooling technology is promising with respect to South African climatic context.