Potential for solar thermal heating in South African hospitals

The report assesses the feasibility of solar thermal systems in South African hospitals, finding a total annual thermal energy demand of 370 GWh for domestic hot water. While current adoption is very low—with only 23 systems totaling 1,333 m² of collector area—the study suggests hospitals could feasibly meet 20% to 40% of their thermal needs through solar thermal capacity. A case study at Paarl Provincial Hospital indicates a potential internal rate of return (IRR) of 10% and a payback period of 12.3 years. However, widespread uptake is hindered by the prevalence of energy-efficient heat pumps, high upfront costs, and infrastructure challenges such as asbestos roofing and limited roof space.

• The total annual thermal energy requirement for producing domestic hot water across 696 identified South African hospitals is estimated at 370 GWh.
• Current adoption of solar thermal technology in the hospital sector is extremely low, with only 23 large-scale systems identified, covering a total collector area of 1,333 m², which meets approximately 0.4% of the total annual thermal energy needs.
• Evacuated tube collectors are the most common technology used in South African hospitals, representing 68% of the total installed collector area, although the report notes that flat-plate collectors would be the ideal technology for the region's requirements.
• Heat pumps and electric boilers are the dominant heating technologies in both new and old hospitals, with coal boilers still used in a small number of larger, older public hospitals.
• A case study at Paarl Provincial Hospital demonstrated that a 300 m² solar thermal system could achieve a solar fraction of 44%, an internal rate of return (IRR) of 10%, and a payback period of 12.3 years.
• The levelised cost of heat (LCOH) for a solar thermal system at Paarl Provincial Hospital was calculated at 4.05 EUROc/kWh (R0.62/kWh), which is lower than the 5.75 EUROc/kWh (R0.88/kWh) expected for the existing heat pump and electric boiler system.
• It is estimated that South African hospitals could feasibly compensate for 20% to 40% of their combined annual thermal energy needs using solar thermal collectors, requiring a total installation of 73,972 m² to 147,944 m² of collector area.
• Several barriers hinder the large-scale implementation of solar thermal systems, including the high upfront capital cost, a lack of hot water demand data, the preference for solar PV systems, and physical constraints such as asbestos roofs and limited roof space.

APA

Buckley, A., Fitzgerald, D., Terblanche, U., & Kritzinger, K. (2018). Potential for solar thermal heating in South African hospitals. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_2018_potential_for_solar_thermal_heating_in_south_african_hospitals.pdf

Chicago

Buckley, Angelo, Donald Fitzgerald, Ulrich Terblanche, and Karin Kritzinger. Potential for solar thermal heating in South African hospitals. WWF South Africa, 2018. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_2018_potential_for_solar_thermal_heating_in_south_african_hospitals.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Buckley |first1=Angelo |last2=Fitzgerald |first2=Donald |last3=Terblanche |first3=Ulrich |last4=Kritzinger |first4=Karin |title=Potential for solar thermal heating in South African hospitals |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2018 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_2018_potential_for_solar_thermal_heating_in_south_african_hospitals.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{buckley2018potential, author = {Buckley, Angelo and Fitzgerald, Donald and Terblanche, Ulrich and Kritzinger, Karin}, title = {{Potential for solar thermal heating in South African hospitals}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2018}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf_2018_potential_for_solar_thermal_heating_in_south_african_hospitals.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }