Dissemination of Solar Water Heaters in Taiwan: The Case of Remote Islands

Abstract

Solar water heaters represent the success story in the development of renewable energy in Taiwan. With increasing public awareness, there are over 0.3 million residential systems in operation. To disseminate solar water heaters in remote islands, economic feasibility and water quality are taken into account in this study. The payback period in Kinmen and Penghu Counties are evaluated, according to effective annual solar energy gain, hot water consumption pattern and cost. Assessment of the scaling and corrosion tendencies for solar water heaters using tap and underground water are also presented. For flat-plate solar collectors with metal components, favorable corrosion resistance and protective anti-corrosion coatings are required.

The Impact of Subsidy Programs for Solar Thermal Applications: A Case Study for a Remote Island

“…The peak values correspond to 5 (136 SWHs) and 6 (154 SWHs) years of use. Although tap water causes slightly elevated levels of scaling and there is a relatively higher risk of corrosion for underground water [33], the 16.7% replacement rate is unusual. The regulations for Kinmen County stipulate that the end users can apply to replace systems that have been in operation for more than 5 years.…”

The Impact of Water Quality on the Use of Solar Water Heaters in Remote Islands of Taiwan

“…Tap water is the principal domestic water supply (the population percentage is 91.56% in 2013) [4], and its water quality is stable. In contrast, the principal domestic water sources in the remote islands are the tap water made mainly from desalination, ground water, or both [3]. To assess the water quality in SWHs in the remote islands, this study sampled tap water and ground water from households with SWHs in the three counties constituted of the remote islands, namely Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang.…”

“…Note that the Low Carbon Island Project, including the Penghu and Kinmen counties, was also launched in 2012 and aimed at reducing the production of carbon dioxide in the remote islands of Taiwan. Promotion of SWHs was an initiative of the Project [3]. …”