Solar thermal has some distinct advantages when you start talking about really big instillations. Especially when considering power storage, molten salt systems can store heat and allow the generators to keep working even at night. Much cheaper than batteries at very large scales.
Thermal solar systems are generally very efficient when the goal is heating something, not just generating power. So say, you want to run an ammonia plant without burning natural gas, or if you want to melt down metals for recycling. There are so many industrial applications where it’s a better way of doing it than using an electric heating element.
freebee@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
But t solar boiler can still be useful in some cases. Where heated water in “solar” on the roof is used immediately for shower etc.
Redjard@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
Modern solar into a modern heat pump is gonna be more efficient than heating water. It’s also more versatile and convenient, cause it maintains that efficiency when you pull power from the grid at night. And of course lets you use the power for other purposes.
freebee@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
I agree. But installing a waterboiler on a roof right above a shower is a lot simpler and probably still cheaper, for example in a camping hut situation, so off grid
Redjard@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
Lots of huts probably have an ac or heater. This could all be the same device, at which point it’d definitely be easier than running the pipes for water and maintaining pumps and a dedicated tank.
Don’t see a reason you couldn’t have a simple ac window unit that also has a warm water port, which you plug a single cable into going straight to your pannels on the roof.