In order to evaluate climatic influence on plant
performance, two sites were considered, which are
representative of two different types of climate. At the first
site considered (Site 1, Northern Italy, latitude 45°08' N)
the ambient temperature is higher than 15°C for
approximately 3500 hours per year (40% of total working
hours). Most of these hours are obviously in summer (96%
of total summer hours) and spring (47% of total spring
hours), while in fall and winter the air cooling system would
only seldom be activated, if it operates for external
temperatures higher than 15°C. The second site (Site 2,
Southern Italy, latitude 38°13' N) has a higher average
temperature all over the year (ambient temperature > 15°C
for 61% of total working hours). In these conditions an
absorption unit would always be in operation in summer
months, while in spring and fall the percentage would also
remain considerably high (respectively 66% and 62%).
Figure 3 shows the cumulative annual hours in which the
ambient temperature is higher than the value in the x-axis.
In comparison with site 1, we can see that site 2 ambient
conditions appear more favorable for the installation of an
air cooling system, which would be much more intensively
exploited.