Clean Industries with Solar Heat
A solar thermal system for industrial processes is an innovative technology that converts solar energy into heat, in the form of hot water or steam, to support industrial processes and reduce fossil-based energy sources. It is also known as Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP).
Solar Heat for Industrial Processes (SHIP) represents an incredibly promising market segment, showing significant growth in recent years. This growth is observed not only in the increasing number of applications but also in their scale, spanning various industrial sectors across Europe and beyond.
With its vast potential, this technology can play a key role in industrial decarbonisation efforts, contributing as such to net-zero targets.
Description of use
Heat is half of the energy consumed in Europe, with a substantial share utilised by industries producing goods essential to our society. While some industries demand extremely high temperatures for their processes, half of the current industrial activities rely on low or medium-temperature heat in the form of hot water or steam, that can be generated through solar thermal technology.
Industrial processes can use low and medium temperature for washing or dyeing textiles for example. The dairy sector uses heat for washing and pasteurization. Other industries, such as mining, can use it for leaching. Therefore, the use of low and medium temperature heat in industrial processes can be widely diverse. The food and beverage industry stands out as a key sector, showing substantial potential with existing case studies and numerous upcoming projects.
The choice of solar thermal collectors depends on the required heat temperature. For temperatures up to 150°C, technologies such as air collectors, flat plate collectors, and evacuated tube collectors are used. In cases where higher temperatures, up to 400°C, are required, concentrated solar thermal collectors like concentrated dishes, Fresnel collectors, and parabolic troughs can deliver.
Benefits of Solar Thermal
Systems!
The benefits of solar thermal systems, in particular for such large systems, cover environmental, political and economic aspects.
Environmental benefits relate to the capacity to reduce harmful emissions, impacting both our environment and our health. The reduction of CO2 emissions depends on the quantity of fossil fuels replaced directly or indirectly by the solar thermal system, for instance gas or carbon-based electricity used for water heating. Depending on the location, a 1.4MWth (2000 m2) system could generate the equivalent of 1.1GWh/year, a saving of around 2000 tonnes of CO2.
Political benefits are associated with the possibility of improving energy security by reducing energy imports while creating local jobs related to the manufacturing, commercialization, installation, and maintenance of solar thermal systems. The solar thermal sector has a strong European manufacturing base, supplying over 90% of the local demand and exporting worldwide. Therefore, opting for solar thermal systems in Europe means choosing solar energy produced by European companies, boosting the European economy and creating green jobs.
Economic benefits are associated with the potential savings in energy costs. Even though solar thermal systems require higher upfront costs, they offer an economic advantage in the longer term. Solar thermal systems ensure price stability for at least 20 years. Analysis of existing systems demonstrates that solar heat is economically compatible with other renewable energy sources and gas. This competitiveness is even more accurate when energy prices fluctuate, as seen during Europe’s recent energy crisis.
For instance, in a 110 MW plant, the levelised cost of solar heat varies between 18 and 33 EUR/MWh over 25 years.
There are three main aspects to consider that have a bigger impact on the comparable costs of the energy produced by a solar thermal system. These are the initial costs of the system, the lifetime of the system, and the system’s performance. These factors depend on the location (affecting climate, insulations, taxes, cost of living, etc.) and quality of the system (affecting performance, lifetime, and cost). This can vary significantly from country to country, thus leading to different average investment costs for solar thermal systems.
Therefore, average investment costs for solar thermal systems can vary greatly from country to country and between different systems.
Explore Solar Heat for Industrial Process
Case Studies
Solar Heat Integration – Solutions for the decarbonisation of the pulp and paper industry
Cross-sectoral collaboration is key to the energy transition. In partnership with CEPI, we are proud to launch a factsheet on Solar Heat integration as a solution for the decarbonisation of the pulp and paper industry.
The pulp and paper sector is committed to achieving climate neutrality in Europe by 2050. This goal requires reducing emissions in their production processes through the implementation of energy-efficient technologies and the effective use of fossil-free energy sources.
One of these fossil-free energy sources is Solar Heat, specifically Solar Heat for Industrial Process (SHIP) when applied in industrial contexts.
Solar heat technologies have significant potential to accelerate the decarbonisation of industrial processes, not only in the pulp and paper sector but across other industries as well. The advantages of these solutions include the renewable direct heat supply, price stability, or the ability to synergise with other energy solutions, to name a few.
Technical information
A system providing solar heat for industrial processes includes a large solar collector field, through which a working fluid circulates. This fluid is usually a combination of water and glycol and is transferred from the primary circuit to the process heat circuit via a heat exchanger. Whether the heat is transferred in the form of hot water, air flow or steam can be designed according to the requirements of the industrial process.
The system usually includes a heat storage unit, which is used to store the heat generated by the solar system (e.g. solar thermal collectors) and to make it available at a later time or to compensate for fluctuating heat demand.
For such systems, proper function and yield monitoring are critical to detect solar system failures early. A system is considered large if it exceeds 350 kWth (500 m²), although systems can range widely in size, depending on the application and process temperatures.
Temperature: Solar heat for industrial processes (SHIP) can go up to 400 °C.
Control: SHIP requires advanced control and metering, integrated with the overall management of the heat supply to industrial processes.
Operation & Maintenance: Medium level – the operating and maintenance requirements are in line with operating such large systems, either solar thermal or using other technologies. Correct operation is also required to maximise performance.
