Cheap Solar Cooling Solution?

An anonymous reader asks: "I would like to use solar panels to generate enough power to run an air-conditioner that is only needed when the sun is out. The problem lies in the cost of the battery bank, where one can quickly run to thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars. Given the state of current solar panel technology, what kind of unique solutions have people come up with to handle the voltages of this setup WITHOUT the use of a battery bank?"

"I realize that the photovoltaic array will have to be of sufficient size to offer more power than will be consumed by peak load, causing excess power, that will need to be dealt with. Also, there will need to be some monitor so that if the available energy doesn't meet the minimum threshold, then the appliance is shut off (or the juice to the circuit is cut), and vice versa. As temperatures approach 120F and more this summer, I'm putting more aside for this project and at this point am not concerned with any but simple methods of using up 'excess' energy. Though thoughts have rattled around about a Linux controlled shading system to adjust the raw juice coming off the panels through selective shading."

If the concern is cooling, then one way of burning off any "excess" power might be creative use of fans (either single fans or a bank of them; small or large, depending on the amount of excess power available). What other ways might such "excess" power be used?

Comments

sell it back to the grid

[bmwm3nut]

why not sell the extra power you're not using back to the grid?