ARENA is committing $500,000 to CSIRO for a $1 million project to demonstrate its novel solar powered air-conditioning technology at the Stockland Wendouree shopping centre in Victoria.
The project aims to advance the concentrating solar thermal technology towards commercialisation by piloting the technology on a major shopping centre. Shopping centres typically have a high demand for energy due to air-conditioning, hot water and electricity use.
CSIRO, together with partners Stockland Group and NEP Solar, will develop and install the system to collect solar energy from the shopping centre roof and use it to supply the building with heating and cooling. The system is supplied by high temperature heat from concentrating solar collectors to maximise its efficiency.
The technology has the potential to displace conventional air-conditioning in Australian commercial buildings, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, peak electricity demand and electricity bills.
The project is expected to be completed mid-2015.
