Evacuated tube collectors: A notable driver behind the solar water heater industry in China

A major reason behind China׳s dominant position in the solar water heater (SWH) industry in the world over recent years has been its technological choice of evacuated tube instead of flat plate collectors. Through continuous innovations in research and development, manufacturing, and marketing, China has ensured that evacuated tube SWHs satisfy consumer needs with low initial costs and short payback periods. SWH companies have also been able to generate considerable profits even without financial incentives from the government. Preliminary investigations of economic advantages of evacuated tube SWHs mainly resulting from innovations in China, imply that Chinese companies should continue to develop ways to minimize the cost of evacuated tube SWHs and to improve their quality rather than follow developments in industrialized countries where flat plate SWH technologies dominate.