Solar Assisted A/C 2

[odelgado]

Greetings,

I run the energy programs for a company and recently one company came to us trying to sell us a "solar assisted" air conditioning system.

http://www.solarcool.com/Products/Commercial.aspx

I know that Lennox has solar assisted A/C units but the solar panels are used for electricity. However, these guys claim that they can get up to 32 SEER on units by using panels on the
refrigeration cycle. I am having a hard time seeing the thermodynamic logic on this. Since I don't want to appear short-sighted and brush off this technology as a scam I turn to you guys.
Have any of you seen these systems working? Do you see any logic in their claims? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[walkes]

I have reviewed building installations from the 60s that used absorption chilling machines. One was designed around its own source of natural gas that was used for the electric generator and the steam boiler, the steam was in turn used for the absorption chiller. The whole building essentially ran on natural gas.
Absorption chillers aren't efficient unless you have cheap waste heat or potentially solar.