Middle East is a hot spot in renewables market

Solahart international business development manager Denis Avery

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Solahart international business development manager Denis Avery visited the UAE, where distributor Ecoval Trading LLC was recognised as the Australian company’s number one distributor in 2009.

Solahart CEO Matt Sexton presented Ecoval Trading LLC MD Jim Sebastian with a special commemorative award during the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. The award also highlights the importance of this region to the Australian manufacturer of solar hot water heating systems.

“The Middle East is, and has been, recognised by our company as one of the leading regions globally to recognise the importance of renewable products. This is one of the top three regions that our company will be investing in long-term into the future,” says Avery.

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This is largely because Avery argues that market penetration of Solahart in the region is unaffected by a general mindset not yet fully attuned to energy saving. “In today’s world, people are far better informed towards energy saving and design. Here in the UAE I have seen a major shift in focus towards energy conservation. That is why we see a proliferation of companies trying to tap into this market.”

And the low cost of energy in the region? “One cannot factor in the low cost of energy in the region as being behind a lack of support for renewables. What I see in the majority of markets is the willingness of the public to utilise renewables for other reasons, which just goes to show that price is not everything,” says Avery. An interesting development in this regard is the possibility of solar heating companies being formed, on the same basis as district cooling companies, but to distribute hot water.

Major driver

A major driver of this trend is Dubai’s anticipated ‘green’ building regulations, which are expected to make solar hot water heating mandatory for large-scale users such as hotels. “Obviously from our perspective such initiatives are welcome, and we congratulate the vision shown by such organisations.

“Companies such as ourselves provide support and advice to all aspects of regional and local governments; we also provide education in schools, which will produce our future world leaders. Green sustainability is a major factor in many organisations. However, the pitfalls are great if one launches a business on the back of such initiatives,” warns Avery.

Testament to this approach of longevity and sustainability is that Solahart has had a presence in the region for the past 15 years. It was established in Australia in 1953 when SW Hart & Company began manufacturing storage cylinders for use in conjunction with FC Korwill solar collectors, also an Australian product.

“The company SW Hart stretches back to early days in Perth, when it actually used to manufacture rain water storage tanks for local use. From those humble days we now see Solahart as a global leader in solar water heater manufacture and distribution to 75 countries,” says Avery.

‘Thermosiphon’ principle

The secret behind the Solahart system is the ‘thermosiphon’ principle, which Avery describes as “a natural process for heating water. With Solahart’s design, the cold water enters the solar collectors and gathers heat, which rises to the top of the collectors and raises the temperature of the stored water. This is very similar to how the human heart functions in the body.”

Another important element of the system is the ‘drainback’ concept. “The ‘drainback’ principle is so simple in its function. It ensures our system does not wet stagnate and overheat; the system will also not freeze in winter and dissipate the heat once the sun goes down. In this way we ensure we maximise and harness the sun’s energy to ensure we have hot water in the harshest of environments – from freezing temperatures in China, Korea and Europe to the hot climates in the Middle East, Europe and Australia.”

Indeed, one of Solahart’s main strengths has been supplying systems suited to local climatic conditions. “In this part of the world, one must factor in many conditions when designing a system for a particular project. Our system must be designed to manage the dusty climate in the Middle East; it must also cope with high temperature extremes in the summer months.

One cannot claim to be totally responsible in renewable energy conservation if our design incorporates additional support just to manage overheating. This is not logical in our opinion, and only adds to the cost and technical aspects of any project.”

This emphasis on R&D means a continued focus on innovation, adds Avery. “Our R&D never stops. Our goal is continuous improvement in both design and performance, while we also strive towards new products. No company can, or should, rest on its laurels, as to do so will doom any business. Solahart recognises that in the world we live in, there is always room for improvement, and as such we have a dedicated team of engineers just for this purpose.”