Impact of Solar Thermal Energy on the Energy Matrix under Equatorial Andean Context

Edgar A. Barragán-Escandón, Esteban Zalamea-León, John Calle-Sigüencia and Julio Terrados-Cepeda
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Edgar A. Barragán-Escandón: Grupo de Investigación en Energía-GIE, Politecnica Salesiana University (Universidad Politécnica Salesiana), Cuenca 010114, Ecuador
Esteban Zalamea-León: School of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Cuenca (University of Cuenca), Cuenca 010112, Ecuador
John Calle-Sigüencia: Grupo de Investigación en Energía-GIE, Politecnica Salesiana University (Universidad Politécnica Salesiana), Cuenca 010114, Ecuador
Julio Terrados-Cepeda: Department of Graphic Engineering, Design and Projects, Jaen University (University of Jaén), 23001 Jaén, Spain

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-25

Abstract: Low-temperature solar thermal energy is a viable and mature alternative to reduce the use of fossil fuels for domestic hot water heating. The impact of the inclusion of this technology in the energy matrix in the Andean city of Cuenca, Ecuador, is analyzed. In Ecuador, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently used to heat water due to the high state subsidy, with a cost of 0, 11 USD for an LPG kg compared to the international price of 1.18 USD a Kg of LPG in 2021. Sustainability indicators show that the urban energy matrix would be minimally affected by a high penetration of solar thermal systems. The indicators that are positively affected are related to energy self-sufficiency, emissions, and employment at the expense of an increase in the cost of energy. Moreover, the analysis of the impact on consumption exclusively in the residential sector shows that liquefied petroleum gas consumption would drop from 73 to 64%, mainly because the liquefied gas is used in cooking. However, the change in technology is limited by the subsidized cost of liquefied petroleum gas, which makes the adoption of this technology difficult in the current state

Keywords: solar thermal; sanitary hot water; LEAP; energy matrix (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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