Commercial potential of linear Fresnel solar collectors in the industrial sector of Ecuador: preliminary assessment

Abstract

One of the crucial challenges faced by industry has been finding approaches that meet its increasing energy demand and decreasing reliance on non-renewable sources. Ecuadorian policies promote the use of renewable sources of energy; nevertheless, there is limited research on concentrated solar energy in the country. Therefore, this review article presents an overview on previous research on the description of linear Fresnel collectors for solar heat for industrial processes, promising Ecuadorian industrial branches for its application, and the solar resource available for this purpose in Ecuador. As a result of existing literature analysis, the manufacturing industry may be a key sector for the application of this technology, which could reduce the use of conventional energy sources, especially in the food industry located in the Andean region. The outcomes will contribute to future thorough research on the topic.