Evaluation of thermosiphon systems by adopting a total cost accounting approach
IEA-SHC Task 39 INFO Sheet A4
May 2015 - PDF 0.41MB
To assess the suitability of polymer based solar thermosiphon systems three polymeric systems under development have been selected and compared with thermosiphon systems in which traditional materials like metals were used. For the comparison, a total cost accounting approach is adopted, which involves the analysis of differences in thermal performance, end-user investment costs, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, reliability and long-term performance, climatic and environmental performance in relation to the costs of the polymeric systems versus those of the traditional ones.

Life cycle analysis for polymeric solar thermal collectors
IEA-SHC Task 39 INFO Sheet A3
May 2015 - PDF 0.37MB
When developing new solar collectors with novel materials, the reduction of their environmental impact should be considered. In this context, several studies were published analyzing the environmental impact through polymeric materials and comparing them with conventional metal based collectors and systems by using life cycle analysis methodologies.

A total cost perspective on use of polymeric materials in solar collectors - Importance of environmental performance on suitability
Applied Energy 125 (2014) 10–20
March 2014
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd.
--- To assess the suitability of solar collector systems in which polymeric materials are used versus those in which more traditional materials are used, a case study was undertaken. In this case study a solar heating system with polymeric solar collectors was compared with two equivalent but more traditional solar heating systems: one with flat plate solar collectors and one with evacuated tube solar collectors. To make the comparison, a total cost accounting approach was adopted. The life cycle assessment (LCA) results clearly indicated that the polymeric solar collector system is the best as regards climatic and environmental performance when they are expressed in terms of the IPPC 100 a indicator and the Ecoindicator 99, H/A indicator, respectively. [...]