Solar thermal technologies play an important role in reducing carbon emissions. However, the assumptions that work in Europe may not work in China. To provide reference values of annual GHG emission reduction for China’s SHW systems, the China Academy of Building Research (CABR) and Sunrain developed and validated a country-specific emissions reduction analysis within the SHC Task 69: Solar Hot Water for 2030 framework.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has provided the solar hot water sector with a clear mission to deploy at least 400 million residential solar systems by 2030.Dr. Richard Hall, a Vice Chair of the Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC), discusses the implications of this new global mission on the structure of the solar thermal sector.

Worldwide, 250 million dwellings used solar thermal technologies for water heating in 2020. However, to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, as proposed by the IEA in their Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector, we estimate that 170 million new conventional solar thermal technologies (e.g., thermosyphons and pumped circulation systems) and 120 million emerging solar systems (e.g., PV-driven systems) are needed.