Analysis of the economic potential of solar thermal energy to provide industrial process heat. Final report, Volume I. [In-depth analysis of 78 industries]

Technical Report · Mon Feb 07 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7096290· OSTI ID:7096290

The process heat data base assembled as the result of this survey includes specific process applications from 78 four-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) groups. These applications account for the consumption of 9.81 quadrillion Btu in 1974, about 59 percent of the 16.6 quadrillion Btu estimated to have been used for all process heat in 1974. About 7/sup 1///sub 2/ percent of industrial process heat is used below 212/sup 0/F (100/sup 0/C), and 28 percent below 550/sup 0/F (288/sup 0/C). In this study, the quantitative assessment of the potential of solar thermal energy systems to provide industrial process heat indicates that solar energy has a maximum potential to provide 0.6 quadrillion Btu per year in 1985, and 7.3 quadrillion Btu per year in 2000, in economic competition with the projected costs of conventional fossil fuels for applications having a maximum required temperature of 550/sup 0/ (288/sup 0/C). A wide variety of collector types were compared for performance and cost characteristics. Performance calculations were carried out for a baseline solar system providing hot water in representative cities in six geographical regions within the U.S. Specific industries that should have significant potential for solar process heat for a variety of reasons include food, textiles, chemicals, and primary metals. Lumber and wood products, and paper and allied products also appear to have significant potential. However, good potential applications for solar process heat can be found across the board throughout industry. Finally, an assessment of nontechnical issues that may influence the use of solar process heat in industry showed that the most important issues are the establishment of solar rights, standardization and certification for solar components and systems, and resolution of certain labor-related issues. (Volume 1 of 3 volumes.)

• Research Organization: InterTechnology Corp., Warrenton, VA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• OSTI ID: 7096290
• Report Number(s): COO--2829-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140300 -- Solar Energy-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
140905*
140909 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Miscellaneous Solar Applications-- (1980-)
141000 -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
AGRICULTURE
APPLIANCES
AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY
BOILERS
BUILDING MATERIALS
CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
COAL INDUSTRY
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CONSUMER PROTECTION
COST
DRYERS
DRYING
ECONOMICS
ELASTOMERS
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EVAPORATORS
FERTILIZERS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
FOOD
FOOD INDUSTRY
FURNACES
GAS APPLIANCES
GLASS INDUSTRY
HEAT
HEATERS
HEATING
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
KILNS
LEATHER
LEGAL ASPECTS
LIFE-CYCLE COST
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEAT INDUSTRY
METAL INDUSTRY
MILK PRODUCTS
MINERAL INDUSTRY
ORE PROCESSING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PAPER INDUSTRY
PERFORMANCE
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
PONDS
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESSING
RUBBERS
SITE SELECTION
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR COOKERS
SOLAR COOKING
SOLAR DISTILLATION
SOLAR DRYERS
SOLAR DRYING
SOLAR FURNACES
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR KILNS
SOLAR PONDS
SOLAR STILLS
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
STEAM GENERATORS
SYNTHETIC FUELS INDUSTRY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TEXTILE INDUSTRY
TOBACCO
TOBACCO PRODUCTS
VAPOR GENERATORS
VEGETABLES
WATER HEATERS
WOOD
WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY