In a climate-conscious world, solid-state cooling technologies are gaining traction. Their approaches provide ground-breaking methods to ease the need for conventional, electrical air conditioning units. Industry experts and start-ups alike have their sights on these next-gen devices, which stand to save massive amounts of energy and remove dangerous refrigerants from circulation. Lindsay Rasmussen, an authority in the field, describes these innovations as “revolutionary technologies” that could reshape how society approaches cooling in various sectors.
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has identified between 10 to 20 start-ups currently engaged in developing early versions of solid-state cooling devices. One of these market innovators is Phononic, a US-based company that has been a driving force in the industry’s advances. Phononic operates a second advanced manufacturing facility in Thailand. They’ve been working on their cooling technology ever since and have already installed millions of their cooling units inside data centers, supermarkets, and other commercial buildings.
CEO of Phononic, Tony Atti, wants everyone to understand the amount of efficiency embedded in their technology. He states, “Our chips are really thin, really small, but they get really cold. They consume a small amount of electricity in generating that coldness, but they pack one hell of a punch.” This groundbreaking innovation maximizes energy efficiency. That last point further strengthens the case that Phononic’s devices are more than just an interesting alternative to traditional cooling systems.
Solid-state devices are especially notable for their absence of moving parts. As Rasmussen explains, “they can go further than incremental improvements because they do not use refrigerants.” This facet gives the technology the potential to deliver safer, more environmentally sustainable options to consumers. For now, she adds, solid-state devices still aren’t as powerful as traditional vapor-compression air conditioning systems.
A second notable start-up on the German base is Magnotherm. This firm uses magnets in its cooling solutions and has already produced about 40 beverage coolers and five fridges. Timur Sirman, CEO and co-founder of Magnotherm, insists that the difficulties are related to their tech. As for the cost of those batteries, he explains that the most expensive part is permanent magnets. In fact, he’s convinced that Magnotherm’s products will be cheaper than conventional cooling machines. This can be done only if we address health concerns and efficiency as they both pertain to refrigerants.
“With our technology, it’s inherently safe because it’s not toxic, it’s a metal, and we operate at very low pressures.” – Timur Sirman
Now, researchers in Hong Kong have created an air conditioning alternative with potential cooling power of 1,284 watts. This unapologetically creative solution crosses the hugely important 1,000-watt threshold, along with other innovations such as Phononic and Magnotherm. At the same time, scientists from four European countries are working together on a project called SMACool. This collaborative project with Mississippi State University will result in a room-temperature elastocaloric air conditioner that uses metal tubes formed from special metallic alloys. These developments are an encouraging sign of a trend toward looking for more innovative solutions to address the world’s increasing cooling needs.
Solid-state technologies hold tremendous promise for the longer term. Yet, industry analysts caution that conventional air conditioning will continue to rule houses for decades. Sneha Sachar states, “A/Cs as we know them today will continue to be the solution, at least for the next decade or so.” The inertia of established technologies combined with the time required for new innovations to gain market acceptance poses significant hurdles.
Rasmussen highlights scalability and affordability as critical areas for widespread adoption of these technologies. She asks, “Can these technologies scale up to where they could be affordable for those who need it the most and where the greatest demand for cooling is coming from?” While this question indicates that we must continue to do more empirical research and tailor new solutions, by taking this approach, we can truly achieve the best outcomes for all consumers.
The need for creative, climate-friendly solutions to cooling needs is further highlighted by the effects of climate change already seen on livelihoods across the globe. Sachar notes, “This is really impacting the ability of people to continue to earn their livelihoods.” As the world gets hotter, the need for better cooling—non-environmentally damaging cooling—is more urgent than ever.