The Need for Solar Air Heating
“Heat energy” is often overlooked in the discussion on renewable energy, but space heating represents a substantial proportion of conventional energy & GHG emissions from the building sector.
Solar air heating is an essential component of any effective climate change toolkit, as it targets one of the largest single usage of energy in the building sector – and corresponding CO2 emissions – at the lowest capital cost of any renewable energy option. The technology has been used successfully around the world for several decades and is now poised to offer a large-scale contribution to global climate change mandates.
The objectives of the Solar Air Heating World Industry Association are as follows:
- To promote public awareness on the benefits, applications, and necessity of solar air heating
- To develop the government policies and programs required to support and accelerate the widespread use of solar air heating throughout the world
- To facilitate the creation of common standards which are reflected in the Solar A Mark quality assurance certification mark.
- To undertake other programs or activities that might be necessary to facilitate the use of the technology or to unlock market barriers
Solar air heating systems are building-integrated and typically reduce between 20-50% of conventional energy used for heating buildings. They are also used for agricultural and process drying. Solar air heating offers numerous environmental and economic benefits including:
- Sizable renewable energy production
- Energy independence
- Job creation
- GHG reduction
- LEED® points
- Improved indoor air quality (for systems heating ventilation air)
- Building remediation
Click here for a full overview of Solar Air Heating; Uses & Applications around the World (link to Solar Air Heating presentation)
To read more on how to structure a solar air heating program, click here. (link to “Program Guidelines” page.