A Parametric Study on the Feasibility of Solar-thermal Space Heating and Hot Water Preparation under Cold Climates in Central Asian Rural Areas

A large part of the Kyrgyz territory is covered by mountain ranges which result in extremely cold winter periods. The cold climatic conditions of Kyrgyzstan define heating as an essential need for Kyrgyz people. The majority of the residential buildings are constructed with poor thermal insulation or none at all, which yields high energy consumption in buildings to maintain thermal comfort. Especially in rural households, the heat demand is usually covered by solid fuels (i.e. wood, branches, coal and other solid fuels) burned in traditional stoves / boilers. The intensive use of solid fuels contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution. Hence, there is a substantial need to provide sustainable and adequate heating services for residential buildings, particularly for the rural population. In response to this, the presented research article describes an investigation of solar resources to support space heating and domestic hot water preparation for single-family homes in rural Kyrgyzstan. Besides that, it identifies the thermal performance of typical single-family houses by considering local boundary conditions such as cold climate, highaltitude and routine behavior of the inhabitants. The determination of fuel savings by implementing solar-thermal domestic heating systems helps to explain the positive impacts on the environment. The investigation shows a significant solar-thermal energy potential available for domestic space heating and hot water preparation in Kyrgyzstan.