Solar showers are popular in
Asia and other parts of the world. In areas where gas and
electricity are unavailable or irregular, solar showers are used to ensure a
supply of warm water.
Solar showers are much better for the environment as
they are utilizing a renewable energy source. The downside is that it
normally takes a couple of hours of direct sunshine for the water system to warm
enough to take a comfortable shower.
Solar showers are generally used in southern and south
eastern Asia, where the daily hours of sunshine are roughly the same everyday,
with the sun rising at 7am and setting at 6pm. For a warm comfortable
shower one generally has to wait until 10am as before this the water can be
cold. Most hotels and guesthouses using solar showers have a hot water
storage system, so there is often warm water several hours after the sun has
set.
Solar water heating systems are becoming more popular in
the west and more developed parts of the world. Partly to address energy
consumption, and also to save money.
I hope over the next 10 years the majority of the world
will be using solar energy to heat water. The sun is a wonderful energy
resource and I think it has much more potential to provide us with heat and
electricity.