If I lived in Phoenix, I would own a swamp cooler powered by solar panels. I would be immune to rolling blackouts and could reduce my electric bill by about 75% during the hot months.
A swamp cooler is nothing more than a fan that blows air over cascading water. It needs a water supply to replace water that evaporates, and a pump to make the waterfall. Swamp coolers use a fraction of the power of a conventional air conditioner and they humidify the air, perfect for a hot dry place. They work by soaking energy out of the air via the heat of evaporation. By keeping a well insulated home closed up tight, one can cool the home’s thermal mass (walls, floors, and furniture) enough in the day to get through the night without solar power. I am still trying to find a use for my solar panel here in Seattle.
