Unitary Rooftop Air-Conditioning with Solar Photovoltaic Power Input

Unitary rooftop equipment is commonly used for cooling in low-rise commercial buildings.  As PV module prices have dropped, feasibility of using solar for reducing purchased electricity has improved.   The simplest systems are utility-interactive.   There is a good coincidence between solar power availability and air conditioning power requirements since solar gain and outdoor temperature are inputs to building load.   Many low-rise commercial building have significant available roof area for solar PV arrays.  These relationships support the idea of using solar PV to  drive rooftop air conditioning equipment ito reduce purchased energy and the electrical demand on the utility grid.