Solar, air energy water heaters have a strong counter-attack

The “Design Standard for Energy-efficiency of Residential Buildings in Tianjin,” promulgated recently, stipulates that from July 1 this year, new residential buildings under 12 floors of the city will be equipped with solar water heaters as standard. And from the same time on July 1, electric water heaters that consume more energy will be banned from selling in the European Union. Experts pointed out that the delisting of electric water heaters is a general trend, and multi-energy combination will be an important direction for the development of the water heater industry.

Solar energy and air can attack the market

"New residential buildings will be equipped with solar water heaters as standard, which is undoubtedly a great advantage for the entire market. Although the quality of solar water heaters has always been controversial, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently released the "Guidance on promoting the healthy development of solar water heater industry," intends to solar water heaters The whole machine is incorporated into the 3C certification management directory, and the new national standard of “Home-fired auxiliary heating solar water heating system” will also be officially implemented from June 1 this year.” A person in charge of the Tianjin area of ​​a solar water heater revealed that the overall growth rate of the entire industry was lower than last year. The previous year increased by 11%.

According to Wu Hao, secretary general of the Tianjin Household Electrical Appliance Industry Association, the situation of “hibernation” when solar water heaters are used in the northern winter will also be resolved with the upgrading of technology. Wu Yue said that at present, some of the major brands of solar water heaters can be upgraded, the original single water heater into a complete set of hot water systems to solve the "hibernation" problem.

Compared to solar water heaters, the counter-attacks of air-powered water heaters are even more powerful. According to survey data, in 2012, sales of air-heated water heaters in China increased by about 25% from RMB 5 billion in 2011 to RMB 6.2 billion, and sales in 2013 are expected to reach RMB 10 billion. Reporters visited and saw that at present, many brands of air-energy water heaters have started distribution wars in the Tianjin market, and some brands have also launched group buying activities in home appliance stores. “The energy saving effect of air energy water heaters is 4 times that of electric water heaters, 3 times that of gas water heaters, and 2 times that of solar water heaters.” Wu Hao said that the research and development of air energy products and the homework for low-temperature environment problems have been conducted by various brands for the northern markets. From a perspective, the northern market will become the next important area for the development of the air energy market.

Electric water heater delisting is the trend

"On the one hand, ladder prices allow the public to pay more attention to purchasing energy-saving appliances. On the other hand, solar energy and air energy water heaters have received high subsidies in the current implementation of the energy-saving policy, except that electric water heaters do not enjoy subsidies." The person in charge of appliance stores told reporters that the sales of electric water heaters have been going downhill in the past two years, which is about 20% lower than in previous years.

Xu Dongsheng, secretary-general of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, frankly stated that electric water heaters still have a market in China. There is no timetable for delisting. However, Cai Ning, head of the Home Appliances Division of the China Household Electrical Appliances Research Institute, predicts that there will be a market for electric water heaters within a short period of time, but in the long run, it will gradually be replaced by other energy-saving products.

"Electric water heaters' fatal injury" is a low energy efficiency. However, solar water heaters can only rely on electricity-assisted heating in rainy days, and air energy water heaters are likely to work under cold weather conditions and their efficiency will be greatly reduced. The limitation of the supply of hot water.” Wu Hao believes that even if the delisting of electric water heaters is the trend of the times, the future will not be a certain type of energy water heater to dominate the market, and multi-energy combination will be an important direction for the development of the water heater industry.