Industry-Specific Utilization of Solar Industrial Process Heat (SHIP)

Abstract

Solar industrial process heating systems have become very promising for the industrial sectors as replacement of fossil fuel generation sources to supply heat for industrial scale water heating, air drying, cleaning, food processing, metal refining, and various other uses. The potential of solar industrial process heating systems varies depending on the availability of solar resources and the government policy towards process heat utilization. Though solar driven industrial heating systems may reduce the environmental burdens to a great extent, the feasibility of integration due to the system design requirements and capital cost should be considered systematically. This book chapter will discuss some of the processes which are currently using solar industrial process heating systems and outlines about the leading countries who are utilizing solar industrial process heating systems on a large scale.