The Use of Solar Water Heaters in Iraq An Economic Study

Abstract

The Iraqi electrical system suffers from an increased electrical load for the available generation, which leads to the separation of a large number of consumers, especially during the peak load period. The water heating load represents a great value, so reducing water heating consumption can reduce the cut-off times. Solar water heaters possess many benefits. Therefore, they are used in many countries in the world today. The climate of Iraq is mostly hot and sunny. This makes using a solar water heater is convenient for consumers, especially in urban areas. For studying the use of solar water heaters in the residential sector, three consumers were selected in Mosul city in northern Iraq. Each consumer differs from the others by the value of their consumption of electrical energy (high, medium, and low). Electricity tariffs for the residential sector in Iraq vary, depending on consumption. The information for the three consumers was obtained from a previous questionnaire. In addition to obtaining their needs for hot water, the results of using solar water heaters on the roofs of the three houses of consumers showed a decrease in electricity consumption and a noticeable saving in the electricity bill. The payback period of the solar water heater system was calculated for each consumer. Reducing consumption reduces the gap between generation and load, resulting in reduced programmed shedding times for consumers. For these benefits and environmental features, it is necessary to generalize the use of solar water heaters in the residential sector in Iraq.