2007年，中国太阳能热水器产量的增长速度约为30%，年产量达2340万平方米，总保有量约为10800万平方米。2007 年太阳能热水器市场销售额约为320亿元人民币，产值亿元人民币以上的企业有20 多家，包括山东皇明集团、山东力诺集团、江苏太阳雨集团、山东桑乐公司、北京清华阳光、江苏华扬、江苏辉煌、江苏桑夏、北京天普等公司。

　　从全球市场来看，不计算露天太阳能泳池加热系统，2005-2006年，全球太阳能热水/供暖系统容量增长19.3%，总容量从88GWth增加到105GWth。估计2007年太阳能热水/供暖系统容量为128 GWth，年增长率为15.7%。如果将淘汰废弃的系统计算在内，2006年全球共新增了18GWth，中国的新增安装容量占总增加量的75.3%，稳居世界首位，总安装容量占世界的64.5%。中国太阳能热水器出口也在国际市场需求带动下增长。2007年中国太阳能热水器的出口额增长约为28%达6500万美元。出口额较大的企业有江苏太阳雨集团、山东力诺集团、北京清华阳光等，其中，江苏太阳雨集团分别在韩国和西班牙成立了海外分公司。

图：2006年全球太阳能热水器市场总规模区域分布
 
来源：REN21；整理：水清木华

图：2005-2007年中国太阳能热水器出口额
 
来源：中国海关；整理：水清木华

　　从2008年中国部分太阳能热水器制造企业市场表现来看，江苏桑夏公司2008年一季度太阳能热水器销量同比增长76%，山东桑乐公司2008年3月销售收入同比增长56%，2008年4月同比增长158%。江苏太阳雨公司2008年3月销售收入同比增长66%。市场销售的增长很大程度上归功于市场推广的力度加强。原材料上涨使得本来在三种热水器产品中价格最高的太阳能热水器面临价格上涨压力，但是能源价格未来也有上涨空间，这也为太阳能热水器带来了更多的潜在消费需求，尽管目前国家没有向国外部分国家一样有强制安装政策或补贴措施，尽管目前市场上企业势力参差不齐，消费者满意度仍然不高，但是作为中国目前可再生能源市场应用最好的产品，中国太阳能热水器市场未来仍然看好，尽管行业竞争将加剧，但经历一轮行业洗牌后的市场发展将更健康。

In the year of 2007, China solar water heater market grew at a pace of around 30%, with the annual output reaching 23.4 million square meters. Up till now, China’s total solar water heaters have covered approximately 108 million square meters. In 2007, China’s total sales of solar water heater stood at around CNY32 billion. China had more than twenty solar water heater producers with each having an annual output value exceed CNY100 million in the year, including Shandong Huangming Solar Energy Group Co., Ltd, Shandong Linuo Group Co. Ltd., Jiangsu Sunrain New Energy Group, Shandong Sangle Solar Energy Co., Ltd, Beijing Tsinghua Solar Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Huayang Solar Water Heater Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Huaiyin Huihuang Solar Energy Co., Ltd, Jiangsu Sunshore Solar Energy Industry Co., Ltd and Tianpu Solar Energy Co., Ltd.

Let’s look at the global market. In the period 2005 to 2006, the total capacity of solar-powered water heater/ heating system, not including solar-powered heating system in open-air swimming pools, rose 19.3% year on year to 128 GWth from 88GWth. It is estimated that in 2007, the capacity of solar water heater/heating system would be 128 GWth, up 15.7% year on year. When the discarded or eliminated heating systems were included, the year of 2006 would have a total increment of 18GWth in capacity globally. Meanwhile, China’s addition of newly installed capacity rose 75.3%, ranking the first in the world in terms of newly installed capacity. China’s export of solar water heaters, boosted by international market, also had a rise. In 2007, China’s export value of solar water heater rose 28% year on year to US$65 million. The companies with big export value included Jiangsu Sunrain New Energy Group, Shandong Linuo Solar Energy Group and Beijing Tsinghua Solar Co., Ltd. Jiangsu Sunrain New Energy Group has set up companies in South Korea and Spain.

Regional Distribution of Global Solar Water Heater Market in 2006

 
Source: REN21

Export Value of China Solar Water Heater, 2005-2007
 
Source: China Customs

From the perspective of some Chinese solar water heater producers’ performance in 2008, sales volume of Jiangsu Sunshore Solar Energy Industry Co. in the first quarter jumped 76% year on year, while sales revenue of Shandong Sangle Solar Energy Co., Ltd. Increased by 56% and skyrocketed in April, 2.58 times the figure in the same period of a year ago. Jiangsu Sunrain New Energy Group’s sales revenue in March of 2008 grew 66% year on year. The growth of market sales was, to a great extent, attributed to more efforts made in market promotion. The rising cost of raw materials has put pressure on solar water heater producers to raise prices of their products, already the most expensive one among the three types of water heaters. However, energy prices still have room to rise in the future, which will bring more potential consumption demands to solar water heater. Although China still has such problems that it doesn’t have the policies like some other countries do for compulsory installation of solar products or subsidy granting, its solar energy producers are not equal in strength and its consumer-satisfaction degree is still not high, China’s solar water heater as the best applied product in renewable energy market in China will still have a bright future. Industry competition will intensify, but China’s solar water heater industry will become healthier after another round of reshuffle in the future.