Britain’s third heatwave of the year has left people sweltering and sent interest in air conditioning soaring.
However, many worry not just about the cost of installing air con but also of running it, so could combining it with solar panels help cool your home for free?
The short answer is yes. During sunny spells, a typical UK rooftop solar system can provide enough electricity to run a whole-home air conditioning system for several hours without drawing from the grid.
Solar panels and air conditioning have very similar seasonal patterns, making them complementary partners. Solar panels installed on your roof work by capturing sunlight and transforming it into usable, renewable electricity to power your home.
Modern Eco-Friendly Home with Solar Panels (Image: D. Goug/Pexels)
The hotter and sunnier the weather becomes, the harder air conditioning has to
work. But those are also the conditions in which solar panels generate the most electricity.
Without solar, running air conditioning means paying for every unit of electricity consumed. But new data has highlighted how much free air conditioning use solar panels can generate.
During last month’s heatwave, a typical UK rooftop solar installation generated enough electricity to power around five hours of air conditioning in one day.
Read more: This is Money
