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Effectiveness and prospects of implementing a solar water heating system in Astana, Kazakhstan

Abstract:

The techno-economic assessment of solar water heating (SWH) systems in the city of Astana, Kazakhstan, is presented. Active indirect solar collectors designed and manufactured by a local developer were considered in the analysis. This work makes evident that, despite the perception that unsubsidized solar technology is not cost-effective yet, implementation of SWH systems for private households might bring economic and environmental benefits to Kazakhstan when competing with electric heating systems. The study shows that a SWH system in a single-family home in Astana may produce 4.5 MWh of heating per year, reducing 56.3% the amount of electricity used by current heaters. The investment in a single-family home system with a cost of 1.5 M KZT leads to 9-year equity payback under current financial conditions in Kazakhstan, subject to 5% interest loan available for clean energy developers. Moreover, greenhouse gas emissions might be reduced in 3.3 tonnes of CO2 eq. annually per household.