zlacker

How about we just make a giant heatsink that reaches into space instead. Then we can cool the whole planet. Coming up with crazy ideas is cheap, but the logistics are obviously impractical.

>>izzyda+(OP)
Look into radiative cooling. Basically this, but more practical. Several companies working on it: https://www.skycoolsystems.com/

>>0x53+81
I don't quite believe this.

Is it really better than just using solar panels to run a heat pump?

>>0x53+81
This looks like it depends on the outside air to cool the coolant. "Radiative" can mean that too, not just IR radiation.

>>grim_i+L8
> Our core innovation is a radiative cooling material that we’ve combined with a panel system to improve the efficiency of any vapor-compression based cooling system

A heat pump is a “ vapor-compression based cooling system” so that tech is an addition-to not an instead-of.

Whether it’s better probably depends on how expensive the additional efficiency is in practice.

> SkyCool’s Panels save 2x – 3x as much energy as a solar panel generates given the same area.

So if you’re area constrained maybe.

>>izzyda+(OP)
We had one. It was that sulphur used in shipping fuel.

>>pidge+Tp
That's very hard to believe. Radiative cooling is really bad compared to any kind of fan in front of aluminum fins.

Air itself is an isolator, there is a reason you need to shove in fresh air to take on more energy from the heat source.