Potential Assessment in Mexico for Solar Process Heat Applications in Food and Textile Industries

Abstract

Industrial sector of Mexico is the second energy consumer, approximately 28% of the national consumption, according to the National Balance of Energy. A potential study carried out within the micro and small food and textile industries has established that they are using 68% of the total energy consumption as thermal energy, most supplied by liquefied gas and followed by natural gas and diesel. The processes use water, low and medium pressure steam mainly at temperatures from 60 to 180 °C. In this context, solar concentrators, especially parabolic troughs, could give an important portion of the required thermal energy. The introduction in the country of a strategy change in the use of the energy is a formidable challenge. Beginning in the country with the erection of small parabolic trough plants in such industries could allow a technical and economic advancement of the technology and the benefits could be presented almost immediately. The methodology for the potential assessment for solar process heat applications in food and textile industries was based on statistical information from the National Balance of Energy, the National Directory of Economic Units and together with questionnaires, phone calls, workshops and in some cases personal interviews. According to such considerations, three scenarios were established and will be described within this paper in terms of the potential of the parabolic trough technology applied in the appropriated industries.