It seems weird to look to the sun when you want to cool off, however,  CEO of new company Chromasun and former CEO of Ausra, Peter Le Lievre, says solar air conditioners could become a key element for relieving stress on the grid during peak periods. Because we all know that when there’s a heatwave, energy consumption goes through the roof.

Le Lievre has built a working prototype of a solar air conditioner and is trying to raise the money to build larger prototypes that will be installed in the U.S. and overseas. The hope is that these puppies will be in mass production by next year.

Chromasun’s solar air conditioner is 75 percent efficient. The device, a 10 foot by 4 foot sealed box, contains mirrors, receivers and a concentrator for generating solar thermal energy as well as silicon solar cells.