Solar Thermal Technologies
Solar thermal technologies use solar collectors to harness solar radiation to generate thermal or electrical energy for use in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Solar thermal collectors are classified as low, medium, or high-temperature. Low-temperature collectors are used for smaller non-intensive requirements. Medium-temperature collectors are used for heating water or air for residential and commercial use. High-temperature collectors concentrate the sun’s radiation using mirrors/lenses to meet heating requirements of up to 400 degrees C and for electric power production. As per the MNRE/GEF/UNDP Global Solar Water Heating Project Report , 40 million m2 collector area is India’s estimated exploitable techno-economic potential of solar water heaters (SWH) in India.