A team of researchers from the Palo Alto Research Center have been hard at work on a new thermoacoustic cooling technology that could reduce air conditioning power usage by 50%. With a prototype currently in production and plans to have the technology ready for the market within the next few years, the researchers hope to eliminate upwards of 10% of the United States’ energy usage.
Air conditioning maintenance account for approximately 25% of home energy usage, a figure that’s made up primarily of air conditioning systems in the ultra-hot Southern states. South-western states such as California, Nevada, and Arizona are known for their extreme temperatures, with daytime heat regularly exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
With standard air conditioning systems only approaching 12% total efficiency, the new technology could be a much-needed boost to systems’ value. With the recession still affecting employment and income for many families, a large amount of people are cutting down on air conditioning usage to escape a high power bill.
However, while air conditioning is often seen as a major expense, it’s rare to find inefficient modern units. The majority of air conditioning complaints come from those with ageing air conditioning installations, or households that operate their systems inefficiently.
Even so, any developments towards greater energy efficiency are great progress. The United States currently generates upwards of 600 million tons of carbon dioxide. The Palo Alto Research Center aim to use their technology for reducing carbon usage, with targets of under 300 million tons per year.
