9.0 Introduction

In several specific industry sectors, such as food, wine and beverages, transport equipment, machinery, textiles, pulp and paper, the share of heat demand at low and medium temperatures (below 250°C) is around 60%. Tapping into this potential would provide a significant solar contribution to industrial energy requirements.

— SHC Task 49 2013 Highlights

Global industrial processes have significant thermal energy needs that are addressable by solar thermal energy conversion systems. Any industrial process that requires heat at temperatures below 250°C is readily addressable by a solar thermal energy system. Systems that require higher temperatures are also addressable by solar thermal solutions, but the costs for such systems at small and medium scales are prohibitive. There is more to it than simply the temperature; but, at first glance, using temperature thresholds as a guide enables a rapid assessment of global potential.

Learning Objectives

• Match industrial processes with appropriate solar thermal technologies based on process parameters and inputs.
• Calculate industrial processing system requirements.
• Apply basic cost analysis to the solar thermal system in industry applications.

What is due for Lesson 9?

This lesson will take us one week to complete. Specific directions for different assignments are given in the table below and within this lesson pages.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please post them to our Questions and answers discussion forum in Canvas. I will check that discussion forum daily to respond. While you are there, feel free to post your own responses if you, too, are able to help out a classmate.