Will My Air Conditioner Work on Solar? Addressing Homeowners' Concerns

A simple answer would be "YES" your air conditioner will work on solar depending on the solar energy system size that you install. As the Indian government pushing for renewable energy 1.5 crore homeowners and more are looking for solar. With most homes having air conditioning these days, accommodating their solar needs with AC consumption has become a primary concern.  Many users assume that solar cannot accommodate ACs due to their high energy demands. Let us break down how solar energy can effectively power air conditioners and clear all the confusion about it. 

Understanding AC power needs 

Air conditioners are measured in tons where the unit “ton” measures cooling referring to the amount of heat that is necessary to melt 1-ton of ice in 24 hours.  Air Conditioners consume a higher load of electricity than other home appliances which is a big cause of concern for many homeowners. A typical 1-ton AC uses about 1 to 1.5 kW of power every hour, essentially consuming 24kWh of energy if it is continuously run for 24 hours. Here 1 kW or 1000 watts measures the consumption of power by the air conditioning unit.  

Solar Energy Production 

Solar energy is produced from the photovoltaic effect where the sunlight that hits the photovoltaic cells present on the solar panels knock the electrons lose and cause them to be in a state of motion in turn producing electricity. This DC power is converted into AC power with the use inverters and is then supplied to all home appliances. It also serves as a renewable energy source for homes as it can replace traditional electricity generation methods like thermal, hydro, and natural gas reducing carbon emissions. Moreover, it also helps homeowners save on paying high electricity bills to the grid by making them energy independent. 

The amount of energy generated by a solar energy system depends on two main criteria  

1. The intensity and extent of sun exposure to the solar panels, which can be affected by external obstructions to light like shadows created from surrounding building and trees. 

2. The size of the solar power system installed, which is determined based on the energy consumption of your home, sanctioned load and also feasibility of roof space available. 

   
   

Hence it is highly important that homeowners looking to choose the right solar panels for their homes need to be able to determine their own optimum system size based on their requirements. 

How To Calculate the Right System Size for An Air-Conditioned Home 

The simplified process for determining the right type of system for a home with air conditioning has 2 parts, 

1. Understand and evaluate your electricity consumption needs without air conditioning 

2. Calculate your air conditioning electricity consumption and determining system size 

   
   

Part 1: Evaluate your general home consumption needs 

Let us take an example of a typical house with a monthly electricity bill of around Rs 3000 when the air conditioning is not in use. In Bengaluru, the electricity board – BESCOM charges Rs. 7 per unit of electricity consumed. From this we can derive that this home consumes approximately 430 units (Rs. 3000/ Rs. 7) per month. 

Now, a 1kW solar power system generates around 4 units of energy, which means it generates around 120 units (4*30) per month. Considering this we determine that based on the energy consumption of this home we require a system of around 3.5 kW (430 units /120 units) or above to power it when not using air conditioning. Keeping in mind that the system size determined is for consumption needs based on electricity bill that does not consider air conditioning.  

Since, we have now arrived at the system size required for the home without air conditioning, let us now understand how much more capacity is required in case an air conditioning unit is added to this home. 

Part 2: Evaluating system capacity increase for air conditioning  

To understand this, homeowners need to first understand the metrics used to measure the type of air conditioning. Air conditioners are typically measured in tonnes, which is a measure of its cooling capacity. A 1-ton air conditioner consumes 1kWh of power, which basically 1 unit per hour. So, if the air conditioning works for 8 hours per day, then it consumes 8kWh or 8 units of power.  

If a 1kW system generates 4 units of power per day, then the system size that is ideally required to generate 8 units of power to sustain 8 hours of air conditioning per day is 2kW (8 units/4 units).  

From Part 1 it was derived that the system size for electricity consumption required to supply to a home with a bill of Rs 3000 is 3.5kW and from Part 2 it was determined the system size required to power an air conditioner for 8 hours in the day is 2kW. Finally, based on the evaluation the suggested system size to power this home completely from solar is around 5.5kW. 

Choosing the Right Air Conditioner 

Energy Efficiency Rating: Ensure you choose an AC which has a high energy efficiency rating. The higher the efficiency the lesser units it consumes and the more you supply to the grid or use for other appliances at your home. 

Correct Sizing: Choosing the right size based on your room space and needs is essential as an oversized AC will have higher cooling power and cycle on and off frequently wasting energy in the process, while an undersized AC will not be able to cool the room effectively. 

Conclusion 

Air conditioners can work on solar power similar to any other appliance in your house if the solar energy system size is estimated appropriately with the correct assumptions, in turn maximizing your solar energy benefits.  

Atria offers a wide range of solar energy system sizes that can accommodate and power all your home needs and requirements. Our expert solar consultant help you estimate your energy needs thoroughly and suggest the right system for your home.  

Choose Atria and go solar today, contact us at 080 62680000!