In the summer of 2009, the project entitled Utilization of Earth to Air Heat Exchangers for Solar Greenhouses pre Heating and Performance Analysis (UEAHESGHPA) in the Ege University Project No: 09GEE003 was launched. The solar greenhouse building is expected to have an annual cooling load of 12MWh. For decreasing the energy consumption rate of the system the authors suggest a hybrid system, incorporating a solar photovoltaic cell system (PV) assisted Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger, which was developed in 2010. The principal idea is to use the PVs to meet the electricity expenses of the fan during summer cooling seasons when the required summer peak load cooling can be generated very efficiently and cheaply. The first three cooling seasons were monitored; the results of which were then presented. (See Appendix 1 for nomenclature.)

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Author notes

1

Solar Energy Institute, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. Currently as a visiting Associate Professor in Cornell Energy Institute, Cornell University, 2102A Snee Hall, 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA.

2

Department of Mechanical Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Celal Bayar University Muradiye, Manisa, Turkey. Currently as a visiting Associate Professor in Cornell Energy Institute, Cornell University, 2102A Snee Hall, 14853 Ithaca, New York, USA.