Suitability analysis of selective solar absorber surfaces based on a total cost accounting approach

By adopting a total cost counting approach a sputtered solar absorber coating is compared with an electrochemically produced solar absorber coating for the application of domestic hot water production. The comparison is made assuming a 25 years service time and takes into account production cost, cost associated with initial non-ideal optical performance, possible cost due to reduction in long-term performance, end-of-life cost, and possible cost associated with ecological damage. The result from the analysis gives an understanding of the relative importance of the various factors contributing to the total cost and shows that the sputtered coating seems more favourable to the electrochemical coating in all respects.