Sustainability Assessment of Solar Thermal Collector Systems
Abstract
Solar thermal collector systems are of high relevance and interest for the supply of low temperature heat for different purposes. Especially, hot water systems are dominating the solar-thermal market with non-pumped systems gaining more and more importance. The main objective of this paper is to assess various small and medium sized solar-thermal collector systems as to their sustainable development metrics. For the assessment a 5-step methodology developed by Ashby et al. (2016) was used. In ecological terms solar thermal hot water preparation significantly contributes to sustainability with energetic amortization times around 1 year. From an economic point of view systems in temperate climate zones for multi-family houses based on conventional metal/glass-collectors exhibit outstanding levelized costs of heat values. In hot climate zones small domestic hot water systems for single family houses fulfill both economic and ecological criteria. For such systems polymeric materials offer a better overall performance and mass production and ease of installation capability. The societal acceptance is high in less industrialized countries, but needs some improvement in industrialized countries, especially for most promising installations in multi-family houses.