Water heating

Main articles: Solar hot water and Solar combisystem

Solar hot water systems use sunlight to heat water. In low geographical latitudes (below 40 degrees) from 60 to 70% of the domestic hot water use with temperatures up to 60 °C can be provided by solar heating systems. The most common types of solar water heaters are evacuated tube collectors (44%) and glazed flat plate collectors (34%) generally used for domestic hot water; and unglazed plastic collectors (21%) used mainly to heat swimming pools.

As of 2007, the total installed capacity of solar hot water systems was approximately 154 thermal gigawatt (GW_th). China is the world leader in their deployment with 70 GW_th installed as of 2006 and a long-term goal of 210 GW_th by 2020.^[26] Israel and Cyprus are the per capita leaders in the use of solar hot water systems with over 90% of homes using them.^[27] In the United States, Canada, and Australia, heating swimming pools is the dominant application of solar hot water with an installed capacity of 18 GW_th as of 2005.^[19]