Comparative Analysis of Solar Thermal and PV-Assisted Heat Pump Technologies for Industrial Process Heat in Southern Africa and Central Europe
Abstract
Industry is the largest energy consumer, with most demand occurring as direct heat input. For low to mediumtemperature industrial processes (≤160°C), heat pumps and solar technologies offer significant opportunities to reduce industrial carbon emissions. This work presents a comprehensive comparison of solar thermal energy systems and photovoltaic-assisted heat pump technologies for industrial process heat applications, specifically contrasting their performance in Southern Africa and Central Europe. Three distinct scenarios from the beverage industry, each representing different operational scales, are examined to highlight the trade-off between economic viability and environmental sustainability. Hybrid solar thermal configurations achieve high solar fractions, but the heat pump pathway proves very viable in both regions for deep, cost-effective CO 2 reduction. While Southern African solar systems yield substantially higher energy output per square meter of collector area, the relatively higher cost of natural gas in Central Europe provides favorable economic returns. Significant CO 2 reductions are enabled by a combination of measures, including public funding to offset initial capital costs, rising fossil energy prices, and decreasing technology costs.
Keywords
process heat, solar thermal, photovoltaics, heat pumps, Southern Africa, Central Europe, technoeconomic analysis, CO 2 emissions