Solar cooling is the use of solar thermal energy or solar electricity to power a cooling appliance. There are several basic types of solar cooling technologies: absorption cooling, which can use solar thermal energy to vaporize the refrigerant; desiccant cooling, which can use solar thermal energy to regenerate (dry) the desiccant; vapor compression cooling, which can use solar thermal energy to operate a Rankine-cycle heat engine; evaporative cooling; and heat pumps and air conditioners that can be powered by solar photovoltaic systems.

 

Solar cooling saves electricity and has, as distinct from solar heating, absolutely no storage needs: the need for cool air for machines rises and falls almost exactly in-sync with available solar energy.