Solar Hot Water Market Analysis
Status quo and Prospects of Thermosyphon and PV Hot Water Systems
June 2026 - PDF 3.12MB
Editor: Daniel Tschopp, Monika Spörk-Dür, Li Bojia

The residential sector accounts for around one-third of global energy demand, of which 25% is
attributed to domestic hot water (DHW). In some regions, DHW preparation can amount to more than half of the
total household energy use. Driven by rising living standards and increased awareness for hygiene, the hot water demand is anticipated to increase in the coming years. Improvements in building efficiency is likely to significantly reduce the space heating demand, making domestic hot water an even more important factor of the energy use in buildings. With a renewable share of ~12 % in the residential sector, there is huge potential for decarbonisation as gas and oil-fired boilers and grid-tied electric water heaters are still the predominant technologies for DHW preparation. Techno-economic innovations are necessary for “untapping sustainable and efficient DHW tapping”.