Applications of solar thermal technologies in Mexican industries for heating processes and their contribution against global warming: An overview

Abstract

This paper aims to give a general overview of the applications of solar thermal technologies in Mexican industries for heating processes and their contribution against global warming. An inventory was conducted in the period from 2001 to 2022 on the types of industries and industrial heating processes driven by solar thermal technologies, the types of solar thermal technologies used and their installed capacity. Analyzes of the inventory results have been made to know the solar thermal technologies used, the energy savings due to the use of these technologies and their impact on the environment. The results show that, out of 521,744 manufacturing industries in Mexico, only 92 (0.0176 %) are using solar thermal technologies. About 77.71 % (12,732.75 kW_th) of solar thermal energy consumed in Mexican industries for the heating process comes from flat plate technology, 20.04 % (3,282.92 kW_th) from parabolic trough technology, and 2.25 % (369 kW_th) from evacuated tube technology. The total installed power capacity of solar thermal technologies for heating processes at the end of 2022 is about 16,384.67 kW_th, equivalent to an installed area of 34,868.87 m², at the end of 2022. Approximately 40.9 GWh (0.147 PJ) of annual energy savings in the industrial sector, which represents only 0.020 % of the industrial heat demand in Mexico (estimated at 742.98 PJ at the end of 2022) and CO₂ emission savings about 0.0141 %. A projection growth of solar thermal technologies in the Mexican industrial sector was carried out, and according with the results, the 2030 Mexican Government goal can be completed at 81 % if the annual growth rate of installed power capacity remains at 62 % from 2023 onwards. Therefore, new Government policies and economic stimulations must be adopted and implement, as well stimulated in the Mexican industrial sector the develop of innovative business models, such as Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), to reduce economic barriers for large-scale installations.