Boilers and hot water generators are major consumers of energy in all sectors. The renewable energy industry has long proposed the integration of solar-thermal technology as one important measure for efficiency improvement. However, while solar-thermal hot water systems have made significant inroads in some markets, their use in industrial and commercial settings has been minimal. As a part of IIEC's Solar-Thermal Market Facilitation Initiative (STMFI), ground-breaking projects in India and Thailand are being pursued to demonstrate commercial applications of solar-thermal system integration for boiler feed-water pre-heating. UNDP Thailand's GEF Small Grant Programme recently backed IIEC initiatives on Solar Thermal applications for communities in Thailand.
Two concepts for solar thermal applications - one for fish drying in Supanburi province and one for hot water in a municipal slaughterhouse in Rayong province -- received preliminary approval from UNDP Thailand. Both communities were invited to participate in the GEF Small Grant Programme workshop organized in Bangkok, Thailand, on September 22-24, 2004. These two projects are expected to receive final approval in November 2004, and implementation will commence next year. For more information, contact Mr. Sommai Phon-Amnuaisuk at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .