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A Survey of Solar Hot Water Heating Initiatives: Lessons for Policy-Makers

Although a larger consumer of energy than the transport and electricity sectors respectively, the heating sector is often neglected in contemporary discussions surrounding the deployment of renewable energy technologies. In this article, the author surveys the approaches that some jurisdictions have taken to encourage the use of solar water heating systems, a promising renewable heating technology. The discussion focuses on solar hot water heating initiatives that are novel or representative of greater trends, namely those in Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia and the State of Hawaii in the United States. Such initiatives range from building code requirements tied to a building’s projected hot water demand in Spain to the trading of renewable energy credits by homeowners in Australia. Canadian incentives for the use of solar water heating systems are also explored as an example of a jurisdiction that has done little to encourage the use of solar water heating systems. Among other conclusions, the author makes clear that quality control measures should be launched in tandem with any solar heating initiatives and that cash incentives may not be the most effective means to support the deployment of solar water heating systems.