Solar water heating for industry and processes
NaturaTemp solar water heating for industry heats process water, wash water and the hot water a plant uses every day, with the collectors supplying heat and the existing boilers completing the temperature the process needs. Solar thermal panels with vacuum tubes suit water heating in the temperature ranges a wide range of industrial processes need, and a smart controller manages the charging of the storage and the delivery of heat to the connection points designed with the plant. Every plant is engineered individually: consumption profile, temperatures, hours, the existing system and the space for the panels. We design and install across Israel.
What you see in the app
Sample data- An engineering survey and a detailed quote before any work
- Designed and installed by our engineers
- 5-year warranty and support after installation
What we install
Solar thermal panels with vacuum tubes, in a field sized to the plant's consumption. Solar collectors heat water rather than make electricity, suit the temperature ranges a wide range of industrial processes need, and keep working on cold, overcast days as long as there is enough solar radiation. The fit is checked against the working temperature, the consumption and the plant's conditions; for processes that need higher temperatures, the collectors can be considered for pre-heating the water before the existing equipment completes the heating.
What the system heats
- Process water and wash water, through storage sized to the daily profile
- Hot water for the plant: showers, kitchens, cleaning
- Pre-heating of the water that the existing boilers finish heating
- The existing boilers, gas or electric, complete the temperature and need less energy
Where solar water heating pays off in industry
Solar heat is worth most where hot water is used every working day, in large volumes, at temperatures a collector field can deliver. The more regular the consumption, the more of it the sun can cover.
Food and beverage plants
Washing, cleaning cycles and process water that run every day. The temperature range depends on the process: some need water at 40–60 °C, others 70–90 °C and above, where the collectors can pre-heat the water for the existing equipment.
Laundries and cleaning lines
Large daily volumes of hot water with a predictable schedule: a load that can suit a solar system particularly well thanks to the planned daily consumption.
Pre-heating for existing boilers
The collectors raise the water temperature first and the boiler finishes the job: the boiler runs fewer hours and burns less fuel.
Hot water for the plant itself
Showers, kitchens and sanitary hot water for a large workforce: a steady load on top of the process.
Public pools, therapy pools and country clubs: solar pool heating
How the system fits into the plant
The panels collect the sun's heat, the controller manages the charging of the storage and the delivery of heat to the planned connection points, and the existing boilers complete the temperature the process needs.
The panels collect heat
Glass vacuum tubes absorb the sun's heat in every season and suit water heating in the temperature ranges a wide range of industrial processes need; for processes that need higher temperatures the collectors can pre-heat the water. The field is sized to the plant's daily consumption and the space available on the roof or the ground.
The controller manages the heat supply
The controller monitors the system temperatures and manages the charging of the storage and the delivery of heat to the connection points designed with the plant. The integration with the process system follows the plant's hydraulic requirements, existing controls and safety conditions, with the aim of keeping production continuous.
The existing system completes the heating
The collectors supply heat directly to the storage or pre-heat the water before it enters the existing boiler, depending on the hydraulic design. The gas, diesel or electric boilers keep delivering the temperature the process needs, but they need less energy when the collectors contribute heat. In suitable systems the running hours of the backup equipment can be reduced too; how the two are combined follows the process requirements and the existing equipment.
Remote monitoring and control
From the phone or the computer the maintenance team follows temperatures and system status and controls the system. Many processes run automatically, as far as the equipment allows.
Which temperatures can a collector field deliver?
Vacuum tubes heat water to higher temperatures than a domestic solar water heater, which is what makes them suitable for process and wash water in the temperature ranges many processes need; for processes that need higher temperatures, the collectors pre-heat the water and the existing equipment completes the heating. Which temperature your process needs, how much water per day and at what hours, decides the size of the field and the storage.
We confirm the exact temperatures and the achievable solar share for each plant at the engineering survey, from your consumption data, before we quote.
If the plant heats with gas or diesel today
Solar heat replaces part of the fuel, and the plant's needs decide how far to go.
Panels, with the existing boiler completing the heating
The simplest option: the collectors pre-heat, the boiler finishes and covers nights and cloudy days.
Panels and a heat pump, with the boiler as backup
A heat pump can cover a further part of the remaining load, depending on the working temperature and the capabilities of the chosen heat pump; the boiler stays for peaks.
A heat pump plus panels instead of the fuel
In suitable cases — when the temperatures allow it, the heat pump and the storage cover the peak loads and there is enough redundancy for outages — the fuel system can be retired. This is checked against the production requirements.
The saving is calculated from your numbers
Plants that buy bulk LPG, natural gas or diesel pay a different price per kWh than a household, so we calculate each option from your fuel price and consumption.
How is the energy saving calculated?
At the plant we look at the current energy consumption, the operating hours, the working temperatures and the fuel or electricity prices. From these figures we plan the expected solar heat output and the possible saving in backup energy.
In the installed system, heat metering — flow and inlet and outlet temperatures — can be included, to calculate how much heat the system actually delivers and to follow its performance over time.
How a project starts
It starts with an engineering survey at the plant: the daily consumption profile, the temperatures the process needs, the hours of operation, the existing boilers and storage, and the space for the panels on the roof or the ground. From this we size the panel field so it's used all year, and you get a detailed quote and a work plan that fits the plant's schedule.
Payback is calculated individually, from your fuel or electricity prices and the measured consumption. If the available space is in shade most of the day, we'll tell you upfront that the system won't pay off.
Industrial solar water heating: FAQ
What plant and maintenance managers ask us before a project.
Can the system be installed in a running plant?
Yes. The collector field is built on the roof or the ground, and the connection to the existing storage and boilers is planned with the plant's schedule, so production is not interrupted beyond the planned connection window.
Where do the panels go, and how much space do they need?
On a roof, a wall or a ground frame that gets sun most of the day, as close to the boiler room as possible. The area follows the daily consumption; our engineers measure it at the survey and set the orientation and tilt on site.
Do the existing boilers stay?
In most cases, yes: they complete the temperature the process needs and cover nights, cloudy days and peaks, and they need less energy when the collectors contribute heat. How the controller operates them — on and off, or also modulating — depends on the model, and we check it at the survey.
Does it work in winter?
The panels heat water in every season, and in winter the backup covers what the sun can't. The solar share over the year is calculated for each plant from its consumption and the field size.
How much does it cost, and when does it pay back?
We don't publish a fixed price: it depends on the field size, the storage, the piping and the connection to the existing system. After the engineering survey you get a detailed quote and a payback calculation from your fuel or electricity prices and the measured consumption.
What about warranty and maintenance?
The system comes with a 5-year warranty. The panels have no moving parts, so maintenance is light: an annual check and dusting of the tubes. Remote monitoring shows temperatures and system status, so anything unusual is easy to spot.