The Solar Thermal Applications workshop 24 - 25 March, 2009

1. Solar Water Heaters in Egypt
Status and Recommendations
Moataz Soliman
Materials Science Department
Institute of Graduate Studies and Research
Alexandria University
Alexandria, Egypt

2. Outline
- Introduction
- Market situation and reasons
- Feeding industry
- Recommendations

3. Since 1900, a large number of solar
collectors has shown to be functional;
these have been fallen into two general
classes:
1- Flat plate collectors,
2- Concentrator collectors

4. These huge parabolic solar collectors were built in Meadi, Egypt, a
small farming community on the Nile River 15 miles south of Cairo
(1912).

6. Market situation today: companies profile
There are about nine companies producing and
installing solar water heaters in Egypt:
• Eight private
• One public

7. Origins of raw materials for solar
water heaters
compeletely
local
11.11% completely
imported
55.56%
partially
imported
33.33%

8. Characterization of companies
Characterization of companies Number
Manufacturing and Installation 4
Importing and Installation 5

9. Types of solar water heaters
1- Thermosyphone “active and passive”
systems
2- Thermosyphone indirect systems
3- Vacuum tube systems

10. Range of prices
Product Specifications Capacity Prices
Thermosyphone with
Galvanized steel tank
(Local) 180L 4000
Thermosyphone with
Stainless steel tank
(Local) 750L 14000

11. Materials used for local manufacturing of SWH
Materials Local Imported
Glass Tempered High transmission
Copper tubes
Absorber Plate Copper sheet and tubes soldered copper plate
Stainless Steel absorber
Coating Locally available paints selective coatings
Frame Anodized Aluminum
Insulation Locally available
materials
Foam and Polyurethane
Tank Galvanized Steel with
Magnesium anode
or Stainless Steel
Piping Polypropylene

12. The current uses of solar water heaters in
Egypt are limited and not adequate with the
available solar insolation. The reasons for
that are:
1- The low prices of conventional energy sources
compared with the cost of solar water
heaters. No incentives neither for the
consumers nor the manufactures
2- The high population density led to high height
buildings preventing the use of solar water
heater in many areas.

13. 3- No enforcement for applying standard tests
either for the materials or the systems
4- Low performance and low durability solar water
heaters which had been produced by some
companies caused the abandonment of
decree number 401 of 1987 concerning the
use of solar water heaters which was issued by
the minister of housing of Egypt. These
companies have harmed the market severely.

14. 5- The lack of collaboration between the
universities and research centers and the
companies prevents improving the
performance/cost ratio of the solar water
heaters.
6- Some customers are not aware of the
advantages and the proper use of solar water
heaters. Some customers run their solar water
heaters dry for many months (stagnation
condition)

15. Feeding Industry:
Except for the high efficiency selective coatings, all
the materials needed for the fabrication of solar
water heaters are locally available in Egypt,
namely:
- Glass
- Polymers: "glazing, piping, insulation"
- Copper, Aluminum
- Painting Materials
- Electrochemical deposition processes:
"Black Chrome and Black Nickel"
- Storage Tanks: "Stainless Steel, Galvanized Steel,
Polymers”

16. Recommendations to enhance
the uses of solar water
heaters

17. 1- Acquiring experiences from successful
stories in other countries
2- Creating the governmental commitment to
solar energy:
a- Raising the awareness of the general public of
the benefits associated with the use of solar
water heater systems.
b- Stimulating the market
i- Provide credit for buyers,
ii- Provide governmental financial support
(incentives) to the manufacturers of the
systems
iii- Adopting demonstrations

18. 3- Spending on R&D of solar technologies in
order to adopt local available materials to
improve the performance/cost ratio and also to
make the design of the system more simple
4- Preparation of specifications and quality standards
for:
Collector
Storage tanks
Installation

19. 5- Legislation:
a- Decision to make use of solar energy a legal
obligation for New Cities, Resorts, Vilas,
Hotels…etc.
b- Uniform long-term performance guarantee
legislation
c- Enforcement
d- Listing of approved solar collectors and storage
tanks manufactures
e- Listing of the approved installers
f- Establishment of a governmental advisory office
6- Establishing of testing and training
facilities at national Institute

20. 7- Supervising the market of solar energy in order
to ensure both the quality of the materials used
and the performance of the solar water
heaters.
8- Establishment of a manufactures' association
in Egypt to promote the use of solar water
heating systems and tackle any technical and
non-technical obstacles confronting such
promotion.