Investigation of a Low/Zero Carbon Energy Technology using Solar Thermal for Buildings

Sustainable Energy 1
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
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Sustainable Energy 2
Investigation of a Low/Zero Carbon Energy Technology
Executive Summary
This paper investigates the use of solar thermal for buildings as a technology for low or zero
carbon energy. Solar thermal technology involves the installation of solar heating and cooling
systems into new or existing buildings for the purposes of heating water, heating or cooling of
building spaces. Statistics show that a number of countries have adopted the technology and
over472 GWh of thermal power generated with 135 million tons of CO2 emissions successfully
mitigated. The solar technology is responsible for about 22%of the global total energy and is
estimated to replace some of the non-renewable sources of energy like coal by 2050.However,
there are a number of barriers hindering the development and installation of solar heating and
cooling systems in buildings including the high initial costs and lack of both interest and
technical knowledge. Also, there a number of current technical developments in this technology
including future ones like the use of Hetero-Epitaxial solar cell and Liquid filter with Plasmonic
Nanoparticles.
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Sustainable Energy 3
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Current State of the Solar Thermal Building Technology...............................................................3
Impacts of Building Solar Thermal Technology on the Energy System and Other Fuels..............6
Technical Developments of Building Solar Thermal Technology..................................................7
Barriers and Opportunities in the Building Solar Thermal Technology..........................................9
Conclusions....................................................................................................................................10
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