Feasibility of solar pond heating for northern cold climates

A computational performance and feasibility study of the salt-gradient solar pond for residential heating in high-latitude and cold climates has been made using computer simulations with meteorological data characteristic to southern Finland (60°N). Freezing, snow coverage and surface insulation for wintertime are also considered in the computations. For an individual house with 100 m² living area, a solar pond of 3.5 m depth and 400 m² area would provide a solar fraction of 50 per cent without surface insulation and 75 per cent with surface insulation. A large pond for district heating would require about one third of the pond area per house as compared with an individual house. A heat pump would still reduce the pond size requirement.