Utilization Of Solar Thermal Energy Research Articles

Study of a Novel Updraft Tower Power Plant Combined with Wind and Solar Energy

This study presents a novel solar updraft tower power plant (SUTPP) system, which has been designed to achieve the simultaneous utilization of solar and wind energy resources in desert regions, in response to the pressing demand for sustainable and efficient renewable energy solutions. The aim of this research was to develop an integrated system that is capable of harnessing and converting these abundant energy sources into electrical power, thereby enhancing the renewable energy portfolio in arid environments. The methodology of this study involved the design and construction of a prototype SUTPP, comprising a 53 m high tower, a 6170 m2 collector, five horizontal-axis wind turbines, and a thermal energy storage layer made up of pebbles and sand. The experimental setup was meticulously detailed, and experiments were conducted to collect data on the system’s performance under various environmental conditions. Subsequently, three-dimensional numerical simulations were performed to explore the effects of ambient wind speed and solar radiation on the output power of the SUTPP. The results indicate that the output power of the system increases with the increase in ambient wind speed and solar radiation. The impact of solar irradiation on output power was observed to diminish as ambient wind speeds increased. Notably, as the inlet wind speed rose from 4 m/s to 12 m/s, the output power showed a substantial increase of 727%. The numerical simulations revealed that ambient wind speed has a more pronounced effect on power output compared to solar radiation. Furthermore, it was found that the influence of solar radiation is significant at low wind speeds, with its impact decreasing as wind speed increases. This research provides essential guidance for the design and engineering of highly efficient solar thermal energy utilization projects, representing a significant advancement in the field of renewable energy technology deployment in desert environments.

Optimization of Eucalyptus essential oil extraction by applying response surface methodology in traditional distillation and its adaption to solar thermal process

This work reports the utilization of solar thermal energy to generate Eucalyptus essential oil, reducing the dependence on conventional energy and minimizing the environmental impact. The study optimized oil extraction by traditional steam distillation using response surface methodology and applied the results to a Scheffler concentrator-driven solar steam distillation setup. The optimum factors included leaf size (0.02 m), extraction temperature (97.76 ℃), solid/solvent ratio (0.61), and extraction time (206 min), with temperature being crucial. The major oil components were 1–8 cineole (57.53–78.45%) and α-Pinene (15.27–27.83%). The outdoor experiments achieved an efficiency of 27% and produced 2 kg/h steam at an average solar insolation of 700 W/m2. Despite consistent processing temperatures favouring conventional steam distillation, the solar extraction process offers an eco-friendly alternative. In line with the sustainable development goals, this initiative is well-suited for sunny regions and small businesses targeting niche markets.

Dynamical Janus-Like Behavior Excited by Passive Cold-Heat Modulation in the Earth-Sun/Universe System: Opportunities and Challenges.

The utilization of solar-thermal energy and universal cold energy has led to many innovative designs that achieve effective temperature regulation in different application scenarios. Numerous studies on passive solar heating and radiation cooling often operate independently (or actively control the conversion) and lack a cohesive framework for deep connections. This work provides a concise overview of the recent breakthroughs in solar heating and radiation cooling by employing a mechanism material in the application model. Furthermore, the utilization of dynamic Janus-like behavior serves as a novel nexus to elucidate the relationship between solar heating and radiation cooling, allowing for the analysis of dynamic conversion strategies across various applications. Additionally, special discussions are provided to address specific requirements in diverse applications, such as optimizing light transmission for clothing or window glass. Finally, the challenges and opportunities associated with the development of solar heating and radiation cooling applications are underscored, which hold immense potential for substantial carbon emission reduction and environmental preservation. This work aims to ignite interest and lay a solid foundation for researchers to conduct in-depth studies on effective and self-adaptive regulation of cooling and heating.

An in-situ growth Fe3O4 and polyaniline on carbon cloth encapsulated composite phase change materials with high thermal conductivity and photothermal energy conversion and storage

Phase change materials (PCMs) play a crucial role in thermal management and solar energy utilization. However, PCMs suffer from low thermal conductivity, tend to leak during the phase change process, and do not possess photothermal conversion properties, limiting their application in these fields. In this work, thermally conductive enhanced composite PCMs with photothermal conversion are fabricated by encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) into Fe3O4 and polyaniline (PANI) decorated carbon cloth (CC). The prepared PEG@PFCC composite PCMs exhibited high heat storage density (132.06–137.25 J/g), significantly improved leakage-proof properties, and excellent thermal and cyclic stability. Meanwhile, the continuous double-coating of PANI and Fe3O4 not only gives the composite PCMs superb thermal conductivity (thermal conductivity of 1.61 W/m·K, 416 % higher than that of the pristine PEG), but also high photothermal conversion efficiency (91.5 %) and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding (up to 38 dB), which broaden the composite PCMs' adaptability of applications. In summary, this innovative type of carbon cloth-based composite PCMs provide a creative path for the design and development of energy storage and conversion materials, which exhibit tremendous potential in the applications of electronic protection, infrared stealth, thermal management of wearable devices, and solar thermal energy utilization.

Efficient solar thermal energy utilization and storage based on phase change materials stabilized by MOF@CuO composites

Solar thermal conversion technology employing phase change composites is an available strategy for solar thermal energy utilization and storage. In this work, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF)-based phase change composites were successfully constructed through vacuum impregnation method. The stearic acid (SA) was served as phase change materials, and the SA-modified MOF (HS) with CuO derived from MOF (HS@CuO composites) was assembled to be support materials, which composed the SA/HS@CuO phase change composites. HS@CuO composites could well prevent the SA leakage over phase change point and endowed the phase change composites outstanding form stability (SA loading rate: 71.8 %) and thermal storage ability (ΔHm: 158.24 J/g). Furthermore, the SA/HS@CuO possessed greatly strengthened thermal conductivity (improved by 3.8 times over SA) and extraordinary solar thermal conversion performance (η: 95.9 %). These results powerfully suggest that the innovative phase change composites own promising potentials in not only solar energy utilization and development but also thermal storage and management fields.

A multi-period design method for the steam and power systems coupling solar thermal energy and waste heat recovery in refineries

It is imperative to reduce carbon emissions by comprehensively utilizing renewable energies and waste heat in refineries. However, the intermittent supply of solar thermal energy, the periodic changes of waste heat, and the variable demands of steam and electricity in refineries hinder optimal design and stable operation of the steam and power systems. In this work, an optimal design method for coordination of solar thermal energy and waste heat to produce steam and electricity in refineries was proposed, which features a multi-period mathematical programming model to synchronously determine the economy, the optimal capacity configuration, and the power scheduling scheme for the steam and power system. The influence of the serial and parallel structures of solar thermal energy supply, the model processing method for continuity of energy storage among different subperiods, and parametric analysis on the results were analyzed and discussed in detail. The results show that the cost of the solar thermal collectors and the energy storage system accounts for the significant proportion of the investment cost of the system. The cost of solar thermal collectors accounts for the largest proportion of the investment cost of the system, which is about 60% in the case study. The parallel structure of solar thermal energy supply can significantly reduce the total cost of the system. The coordination of solar thermal energy and waste heat recovery can jointly meet the steam demand to ensure the stability of the energy supply of the system. The comprehensive interactions and coordination between the solar steam generation systems, waste heat systems, energy storage systems, and demands are analyzed. The battery is necessary for short-time energy storage, whereas thermal energy storage should be used for either long-term or short-term energy storage. These results provide fundamental support for the optimal design of the steam and power systems in refineries by the comprehensive utilization of solar thermal energy and waste heat.

Efficient thermal energy storage achieved by NaCl–CuO composite phase change material: A molecular dynamics study

In this paper, NaCl–CuO based composite phase change material (CPCM) was proposed based on the composite material design strategy, and the microstructure model was designed. The microscale solid–liquid interface behavior during phase transition was investigated by observing the dynamic evolution of microstructure at nano scale. The thermal properties were obtained by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The simulation results were proven to have desired accuracy compared with available experimental values, and as the mass fraction of nano CuO increases from 0 to 1.6 wt% and 8.3 wt%, the shear viscosity was increased by 4.43 % and 8.12 %, and the thermal conductivity was increased by 5.45 % and 9.51 % on average in the temperature range of 800 K to 1500 K, respectively. The specific heat capacity was increased with a maximum value of 2.07 %, but the melting enthalpy was decreased by the maximum of 18.77 %. The results indicated that doping CuO into NaCl significantly increases the potential energy between atoms, so that desired thermal performance was achieved, which is mainly induced by the increase of coulomb interaction, bond stretching energy and bond bending energy. The results are expected to be helpful for further efficiency improvement of solar thermal energy utilization.

Thermodynamic analysis of a novel solar photovoltaic thermal collector coupled with switchable air source heat pump system

Solar photovoltaic panel can only convert a small part of solar energy into electricity, and the remaining energy in the form of heat is discharged into the environment. In this paper, a novel solar photovoltaic thermal collector coupled with switchable air source heat pump system was introduced to improve the power generation of photovoltaic panels and effectively use the solar thermal energy, which can meet the requirements of the heating in winter and the cooling in summer. At first, the energy model and exergy model of the system were developed. Meanwhile, R134a, R290, R410A and R717 were selected as the candidate working fluids to remove the heat from the back of photovoltaic panel. Furthermore, a numerical simulation was implemented in MATLAB based on the energy and exergy models, and NIST REFPROP database was associated to obtain thermodynamic properties of the working fluids. And then, the thermodynamic performance of the system using different working fluids was investigated and compared. Finally, the optimal working fluid was determined based on the electrical efficiency, energy utilization coefficient, and exergy efficiency of the system. The results indicated that the electrical efficiency of cooled photovoltaic panel in the system was 4.1%-13.7% higher than that of uncooled photovoltaic panel in winter, and 1.1%∼10.6% in summer. The exergy destruction of the compressor and PVT collector accounts for a large percentage. Interestingly, R717 is the optimal working fluid of the proposed system, where the system has the highest annual energy utilization coefficient of 1.654 and the highest annual exergy efficiency of 0.251. Therefore, the application of the system has the potential for achieving the coupling of the annual photovoltaic cooling and the solar thermal energy utilization.

Study on the thermal storage performance of a new cascade structure phase change thermal storage tank

Due to the intermittent and fluctuating nature of solar energy, phase change thermal storage technology plays a crucial role in the field of solar thermal energy utilization. As a current research hotspot, the organic combination of a cascade setup and a thermal storage tank can significantly improve the performance of thermal storage. To this end, a new physical model of cascaded phase change thermal storage has been designed, and a corresponding numerical model of three-dimensional unsteady states has been established based on the conventional cascade structure. The equations were solved using the finite-difference method and the phase change material (PCM) melting process was simulated using MATLAB based on C language numerical programming and the simulation results were compared with literature for validation. The effects on the liquid phase fraction and heat storage capacity of the cascaded phase change storage tank were investigated for each level of PCM arrangement, the height-to-diameter ratio of the storage tank and the inlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid. The results show that compared to conventional cascade thermal storage tanks, the new cascade phase change thermal storage tank can decrease the thermal storage time by 33 % and increase the thermal storage rate by 42 %, optimizing the disadvantages of the conventional structure which significantly reduces the heat transfer rate in the late melting stage. When the arrangement of PCM in the tank is modified, the melting time is shorter for the solution that arranges the PCM in the order of decreasing melting temperature as the distance from the heat exchanger wall or from the inlet increases, and the complete melting time of the PCM is reduced by 28 % and 30 % respectively compared to other solutions, and the heat storage rate is increased by 35 % and 37 % respectively. The larger the height-to-diameter ratio, the faster the rate of heat transfer from the heat exchange pipe to the outermost side of the tank, resulting in a 19 % and 45 % increase in heat storage rate for the height-to-diameter ratio of 5.92 compared to 5.00 and 4.12, respectively. When the inlet temperature is increased from 85 °C to 95 °C, the melting rate is increased by 32 % due to the increased heat transfer temperature difference. The results presented in this paper can provide some theoretical reference for the optimal design of cascade phase change thermal storage units, etc.

Dual-encapsulated multifunctional phase change composites based on biological porous carbon for efficient energy storage and conversion, thermal management, and electromagnetic interference shielding

The development of broadening the adaptability of applications is critical to the growth of phase change materials (PCMs) in the future. A novel multifunctional shape-stable phase change composite (PCC) with paraffin (PA) impregnated into biological porous carbon scaffold and followed by coating a polyurethane (PU) layer comprised of Fe3O4 nanoparticles was explored by a dual-encapsulation strategy. The biological porous carbon was made from the loofah sponge (LS) through immersion in the phenolic resin (PR) solution followed by carbonization. The structural morphology, shape and thermal stabilities, thermal energy storage, temperature regulation, photo/electro to thermal conversion properties，as well as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of fabricated PCCs were explored. The results revealed that the LS maintained the original shape with 3-dimensional structure and natural honeycomb-like porous of single fiber after carbonization, which would offer sufficient mechanical support and highly efficient leakage-proof performance in collaborating with PU coating. The fabricated composites exhibited high latent heat storage density (up to 155.2 J/g), superior temperature regulation performance, and great thermal stability and reliability. The synergetic effect between enhanced thermal conductivity of biological porous carbon scaffold and effective photon trapping performance of Fe3O4 nanoparticles led to a photothermal conversion efficiency up to 76 %. Additionally, the obtained PCCs possessed satisfactory electrothermal conversion, storage effects and strong EMI-shielding (up to 32 dB). Predictably, this innovative type of PCCs had opened up creative routes for energy storage and conversion materials, which would have a potential value in various fields such as electronic protection, military stealth, energy-saving buildings, and solar thermal energy utilization.

Operation assessment of a hybrid solar-biomass energy system with absorption refrigeration scenarios

ABSTRACT Refrigeration systems claim increasing research attention as the climate crisis intensifies. One of the most well-established viable and feasible solutions is solar cooling, as the necessary cooling energy is produced by exploiting the available solar irradiance. The utilization of solar thermal energy to produce cooling energy by absorption chillers fed by a driving heat source (such as solar energy) to produce cooling power. Existing works in the literature present mainly case studies and simulations for small-scale systems (less than 50 kWc). The case study presented investigates the performance of a single-effect 316 kWc absorption chiller under different renewable-only driving heat source scenarios (solar-driven, biomass-driven, and a hybrid approach). The results indicate a significantly advantageous performance in combined heat generation (solar field and biomass boiler connected in series) compared to the scenarios of biomass or solar energy as a sole heat source. Moreover, an absorption chiller’s economic indicators appear more fetching than a centrifugal electric chiller of the same capacity, as the payback period is significantly reduced. The Net Present Value (N.P.V. – over 75% greater in the case of absorption chiller compared to the centrifugal electrical chiller) and Return on Investment (R.O.I.) values are increased in the case of the absorption chiller option (18.03% against 15.24% of the centrifugal electrical chiller). The system described in this paper operates in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece, and is part of one of the largest self-sufficient energy communities. The case study presented is the first attempt at performance evaluation of a large-scale (more than 250 kWc) cooling system operating in a local energy community.

Novel composite phase change material of high heat storage and photothermal conversion ability

Using porous matrix as the supports for phase change materials (PCMs) can effectively eliminate the leakage problem of PCMs during the phase change process. In heat storage utilization, the as-prepared shape-stabilized phase change materials are highly desired to have high latent heat density, rapid heat transfer ability and less supercooling. Although mesoporous silica with large pore volume and specific surface area might be a promising matrix for PCMs, it would be more beneficial if its thermal conductivity and photo-thermal conversion capacity were further improved, especially for the utilization of solar thermal energy. Herein, a composite PCM, namely SA/CNTs@MS, was fabricated successfully using mesoporous silica coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs@MS) as the shape-stabilized matrix for the PCM stearic acid (SA). The results of characterizations showed that CNTs@MS had a core-shell structure with mesoporous silica of a thickness of about 30 nm coated on the outer surface of carbon tubes (CNTs) homogeneously. The melting enthalpy of the obtained SA/CNTs@MS composite was 125.6 J/g. Its thermal conductivity increased 64.7%, and the supercooling degree decreased 3.2 ℃ while compared with those of pure SA. The melting and solidification enthalpies of SA/CNTs@MS decreased 1.1% and 1.3%, respectively after 200 thermal cycles. Besides, it is also confirmed that SA/CNTs@MS had good photo-thermal conversion performance. These imply that the synthesized SA/CNTs@MS composite would be an ideal heat storage material, especially for solar energy utilization.

The Functioning of The Hybrid Integrated Partially Solar-Vapor-Compression Fridge

The main purpose of our research is to increase the utilization of solar thermal energy to supply a refrigerator with vapor compression and reduce the refrigeration power needed for cooling. Combined Hybrid Solar - the vapor- compression refrigerating unit has been built and operates under Mutah University's environment in Jordan. The systems were made up of a capillary tube, condenser, evaporator, and collector. The vapor-pressure refrigerator was incorporated with the classic water-solar system to minimize the compressor's duty and to reduce power consumption in heating the amount of water held in the pipe to be sent along the tube outside the evaporator. After that, it will be returned to the compressor, But at a lesser temperature, to minimize compressor workload and enhance cooling performance. Before the compressor was developed, a solar collector system had been created to maximize its temperature before reaching the compressor to improve C.O.P, and the difference in temperature was remarkable. The vapor-compression refrigerator unit was powered by many generators: solar collector that has been discharged, photovoltaic system, flat plate solar collector. Two groups of tests have been performed experimentally on the partial solar compression refrigerator integrated into a hybrid system. First in the vapor compression refrigerator only, and the second in the Hybrid solar compression refrigerator incorporated. Total sunlight and different temperatures, current, and voltage were measured for many months each hour of the day. The performance coefficient was determined found 2.019, 2.432 respectively. Many auxiliary instruments are utilized to measure the temperature in irradiation networks, voltage, and night-time current every hour.

Flame-retardant and form-stable phase change composites based on MXene with high thermostability and thermal conductivity for thermal energy storage

Phase change materials (PCMs) are promising candidates for enhancing the efficiency of solar thermal energy utilization owing to their excellent capacity of storing thermal energy. However, the issues of leakage, poor thermal conductivity, and high flammability have hindered their application. Here, we have successfully designed and prepared flame-retardant PCMs through chemical modification of stearyl alcohol (SAL) with a phosphorus-containing molecule. Form-stable phase change composites were then fabricated through a vacuum impregnation method, where an MXene with a porous architecture serves as the supporting skeleton for PCMs. As expected, benefiting from the high aspect ratio and strong capillary force of the MXene aerogel as well as the interfacial interaction between the PCM molecule and MXene, the resulting MXene-based PCMs (PSM-4) exhibit a large thermal conductivity (0.486 W m−1 K−1) and are form-stable upon heating up to 90°C. Additionally, the combination of phosphorus and MXene further strengthens the flame retardancy of PCMs, e.g., the peak heat release rate and total heat release are reduced by 42.8% and 32.1%, respectively. The improvement of flame retardancy can be assigned to the catalytic charring and barrier effect in the condensed phase as well as to the effect of free radical quenching in the gas phase. Hence, the obtained MXene-based flame-retardant PCMs can be potentially utilized for safe and efficient applications of solar energy storage.

Computational fluid dynamics analysis of cabinet‐type solar dryer

AbstractOne of the major constraints in the acceptability of solar dryer in industrial and commercial applications is lack of control on the drying process due to variable, periodic, and dilute availability of solar heat. For reliable operation, process control with auxiliaries become essential in industrial solar dryers. Integration of solar dryers with auxiliaries is also not studied substantially. This research document focuses on CFD simulation of cabinet‐type solar dryer integrated with auxiliaries, which can be operated under different operating conditions. The dryer is equipped with auxiliary heaters and blowers to have precise control over the temperature inside the chamber. The simulations are carried out for drying temperature of 318 K. The results showed that as the day progresses (radiation intensity increases), the region of average temperature increases. The extent of temperature distribution also helps to locate the region of temperature around the drying temperature. Also to facilitate the control of input energy by the auxiliary heaters, a region is located where the average temperature of air inside the drying chamber can be obtained for varying operating conditions. The region lies about 1.2–1.6 m on X‐ordinate, 0.8–1.0 m on Y‐ordinate, and 0.7–1.2 and 3.7–4.3 m on Z‐ordinate. Thus, a feedback loop developed can modulate the input and make it possible to operate the dryer with maximum effectiveness.Practical ApplicationsThe potential for utilization of solar thermal energy in commercial and industrial drying applications up to air temperature of 80°C is remarkable. Solar dryers integrated with an auxiliary heating arrangement assure to save a lot of fossil fuel energy. Reliability and uninterrupted operation are the major requirements from a solar dryer. The manuscript presents computational fluid dynamics analysis of the solar dryer equipped with auxiliary heating. The extent of temperature distribution is determined for dryer with and without auxiliary heating and it clearly reveals that proper auxiliary heating control, helps to maintain temperature inside the dryer. Also the effect of variation of geometry and variation of solar radiation is studied and common region is found which can help to modulate the auxiliary heating. It provided sound background for feedback control mechanism design that will keep temperature near the drying temperature of product and improve drying product quality.

Scalable wavelength-selective solar absorber based on refractory TiN nanostructures

Scalable wavelength-selective solar absorbers with both high selectivity and thermostability are desired for efficient utilization of solar thermal energy. In this study, we present a refractory titanium nitride (TiN) moth-eye-like nanostructure, fabricated via oblique deposition, that provides high solar-light absorptivity (0.9) and low emissivity (0.17) at 100 °C under atmospheric conditions. The strong visible-light absorption of the structure is complemented by a Fabry−Pérot resonance that broadens the strong absorption band into the near-infrared light region for certain structure dimensions. In addition, TiN is a promising material, due to its refractory nature, having a very high melting point of 2930 °C. The oblique deposition method used to obtain the nano-structured TiN does not require the use of lithographic techniques or expensive nano-templates, thus it is suitable for large-scale fabrication. The nanostructure and its fabrication method have significant potential for practical applications requiring efficient use of solar-light energy.

Light sources selection for solar simulators: A review

Solar energy has certain limitations such as seasonal variations, cloudy weather etc. Because of these limitations, it is very difficult to perform the experiments in Rainy and winters seasons. To tackle this problem, we have to use solar simulators. It is source of artificial lights, very much similar to concentrated sunlight. It can be analyzed that increased demand in manufacturing and development of solar simulators for testing and simulation of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy utilization. This paper reviews the solar simulator light sources for testing photovoltaic panels as well as for thermal applications. Light intensity, cost, durability and stability were included as a criterion for comparing solar spectrum with lamp wavelength spectrum. The classification of solar simulator depend on the light source application and their technological innovations were considered according to the literature. Also, carbon arc lamp, argon lamp, high pressure sodium lamps, quartz tungsten halogen lamp, mercury xenon lamps, xenon arc lamps, metal halide lamps, LEDs and super continuum laser are discussed in details. Also, multi light source solar simulator discussed as a separate topic.

Evaluation of Minimum, Maximum and Optimum Source Temperature for Solar-Powered Adsorption Refrigeration System

Due to the utilization of solar thermal energy and environmentally friendly nature, globally there is a huge thrust toward the development of vapor adsorption refrigeration systems. Indeed, it is necessary to identify the minimum, maximum and optimum temperatures of heat source for solar-powered adsorption systems. With this objective, the presented paper focuses on the evaluation of lower, upper and optimum temperatures of the heat source to run the adsorption refrigeration system. Performance parameters, cooling capacity and coefficient of performance (COP), have been utilized to derive the limits of source (desorption) temperatures and applied to two different adsorbent–adsorbate pairs, namely Maxsorb III–ethanol and Maxsorb III– R134a. The adsorption and evaporator temperatures considered for the analysis are 25–40 °C and − 10–10 °C, respectively.

Fabrication and characteristics of solar-driven phase change microcapsules with crystalline TiO2/CuS hybrid shell for solar energy conversion and storage

Abstract

Analyzing the potential for solar thermal energy utilization in the Chilean copper mining industry

Copper mining is the largest industry and energy consumer in Chile, utilizing heat from imported fossil fuels of which Chile is not a producer. The goals for decarbonization present opportunities to analyze how the Chilean industry can become sustainable with significant shares of renewable energy including solar heat. The present study analyzes the integration of solar heating to the copper refining process in order to gain insights on the technical, economical, and emissions performance of solar heating systems for the largest copper mining operations in Chile. The solar technologies considered in the analysis are flat plate, evacuated tube, and parabolic trough collectors. The results are validated by comparing with publicly available data from existing solar heating plants in copper mining facilities showing that solar plants are able to supply partially the thermal energy demand, although at different costs in terms of capital and operation and maintenance requirements. The economic analysis indicates that with current fossil fuel prices, solar heating technologies are a valid alternative for cost and emissions reduction in copper mining. Flat plate collectors show the lowest cost for solar heat when compared to evacuated tube and parabolic trough systems considering identical sets of technical and financial parameters. The parametric and sensitivity analysis indicate that the conditions under which solar heating is competitive with traditional fossil-fired heaters. which might still be required as backup systems in order to provide heat in a 24/7 regime, and in all the cases analyzed, a substantial reduction in CO2 emissions can be achieved.