Solar cooling in buildings. A state of the art

Abstract

Context: The use of solar energy, rather than an alternative, is the viable solution to the energy demands of our planet for sustainable development. Given the population increase and the quality of life at a global scale, it is very reasonable to forecast an increase in global energy demand. In this context, solar cooling systems are a viable and timely strategy to follow.
Methods: This work offers a state of the art on the different methods of obtaining solar cold. The review is generated by using the tools offered by the Scopus directory and using the VOSviewer bibliometric analysis software.
Results: Solar thermal cooling in buildings is shown as a trend within these energy practices, followed by photovoltaic solar cooling. Today, the United States of America, Italy, and China are the nations that lead this field. The most fertile research areas in this subject matter are engineering, energy and materials science.
Conclusions: The next few years will be decisive for the development of solar cooling technologies since they depend on the incentives and promotion plans offered by those responsible for formulating environmental and energy efficiency policies for buildings.