Assessing the Feasibility of Solar Absorption Cooling for Canadian Housing
Abstract
Residential energy demand from space-cooling in Canada has increased by over 200% in the last twenty years (NRCan, 2008). Presently, the most common space-cooling technology in use is electrically driven vapour compression systems. These systems place a large strain on the central electricity system during the summer months, and in Ontario, Canada, these large loads are typically powered by non-renewable sources of energy. Across Canada, space-cooling resulted in the emission of 1.2 Mt of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2008, with 1.0 Mt resulting from central systems. While improvements are being realized in the thermal envelope of households, space-cooling remains a significant component of residential energy use in the summer months during peak periods of electrical demand.