Investigating the factors on using the solar water heaters for dry arid regions: A case study

Traditional energy sources such as oil, coal and natural gas are economically feasible, but their immediate and indirect environmental consequences cannot be dismissed. These consequences underline the growing need for more effective use of alternative and clean sources of energy. Solar Water Heating (SWH) refers to the process of providing hot water with the help of solar energy. Given the high solar radiation potential in some parts of Iran, there is a strong potential for efficient utilization of solar water heaters in some parts of the country. Yazd is one of the provinces in central part of Iran with excellent solar radiation. The main objective of this study is to identify and prioritize the factors associated with the use of SWH systems in Yazd province. The required data is collected using questionnaire and then processed with SPSS and confirmatory factor analysis method. To conduct this study, first the factors and sub-components associate with the subject are extracted. Then, reliability and content validity of the questionnaire is confirmed using SPSS software, and then the questionnaire is distributed among population. The collected data is then subjected to factor analysis using SPSS. The suitability of data for factor analysis is investigated with KMO and Bartlett's sphericity tests and then components (factors) and subcomponents (items) are obtained with the help of Scree test. The results of analyses on the factors associated with the construction and operation of solar water heaters show that environmental issues have direct effect on the use of solar water heater and the effects of other factors are indirect. Also, according to the results, financial support of the government has the greatest effect on the use of solar water heater and is the most important issue in this regard.