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| The household of Mr. Tran Dinh Cuong (Phu Nhuan, Ho Chi Minh City) has installed and been using a 200-liter solar water heater for the past two months – Photo: Thu Thao |
“It’s as easy as using a television” – Mr. Trinh Quang Dung, head of the solar power development department (Institute of Physics, Ho Chi Minh City), speaks about the use of solar energy products and devices today…
Users Can Assemble It Themselves
To have a solar power system, the most important component is the solar panel that captures thermal energy and converts it into electricity. Currently, there are no domestic manufacturers of these panels; most are imported.
In Ho Chi Minh City, there are two suppliers of solar power equipment: Solarlab (Institute of Physics, 1 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1) and SEL-CO (an American company, 164 De Tham, District 1). Engineer Nguyen Duc Tho from Solarlab stated that a solar power system consists of panels, batteries, an inverter, and a control unit.
The solar electricity generated from the panels is directed to the battery storage system. The inverter then converts the 24-volt direct current from the battery to 220-volt alternating current. Users simply need to turn on the control unit to utilize solar energy.
At Solarlab, the price of a solar power system ranges from 9 million to several hundred million VND, depending on the scale and power output. For instance, the lowest-priced system (9 million VND) can power four light bulbs and a cassette player. For smaller systems, buyers can assemble them using a manual without needing a technician.
In addition to powering household appliances, scientists at Solarlab also use solar energy to charge batteries for ambulances. These vehicles have been operational in Dak Lak at a cost of approximately $10,000 each.
Solar power is also used to run generators, utilized for tourist boats in Hoi An and water pumps in several households in Dak Lak and Ho Chi Minh City (capable of pumping water from depths of 25-30 meters to the surface).
Moreover, solar water heaters are becoming increasingly popular, with prices (due to local design and assembly) trending down to one-third of what they used to be.
Cooking Stove and Water Filter: Two in One
Currently, Petech Company has begun producing solar cooking stoves. The stove features a parabolic dish made of stainless steel with a diameter of 1.5 meters, mounted on a support structure. The entire system is designed to automatically rotate so that the dish can follow the sun’s movement.
The light reflected by the parabolic dish is concentrated at the cooking point, allowing for quicker heating compared to other types of stoves, reaching temperatures of 120-150°C (rice can be cooked in about 15 minutes).
Additionally, to utilize the “solar stove” during times when cooking is not needed, the research team has designed a brackish water distillation unit consisting of a condenser and an activated carbon box for water filtration.
Steam will pass through a coiled condenser to produce fresh water, with an average of 10 liters of brackish water yielding 7 liters of fresh water.
The cost of a solar cooking stove is 950,000 VND (for the automatic rotating parabolic type) and 450,000 VND for the manual type (where users must rotate the dish themselves). If used with a 120-liter pure water filter, the total cost will be 2.5 million VND per unit.
However, to use the solar cooking stove, the cook must wear a hat and can only cook during times of strong sunlight. This type of stove is already in use and sold in several provinces such as Binh Thuan, Lam Dong, and the island district of Truong Sa (Khanh Hoa)…
THU THAO
