Low cost solar thermal energy generation for developing economies

Developing economies currently show more potential benefit from renewable and off-grid technologies when compared to first world countries like the United States. Basic humanitarian needs like water pumping, water purification, refrigeration for inoculations, cooking and heating without depleting local resources can have a major impact on quality of living. Once basic hygienic needs are accounted for, villages and even small towns will have a more legitimate foothold to develop out of an impoverished state. Unfortunately, the majority of renewable solutions are complicated, and once installed can easily fall into disrepair, with little or no local knowledge base available to maintain complicated photovoltaic (PV) or wind turbine systems. Additionally, the majority of renewable energy systems require extensive manufacturing that are not environmentally friendly. Once these systems are manufactured, they are bulky and costly to ship. The system described in this paper will have the ability to produce low cost solar thermal energy, with a minimal of capital investment. The system allows for the option to have the solar thermal collector be built on site, requiring only a minimum of equipment to be manufactured remotely and shipped. The proposed system will allow for a much wider spread of renewable energy in developing economies.