People of Ladakh are exposed for more than seven month per year to sub-zero temperatures. Using traditional heating (e.g. Bukharis) and conventional heating (coal, kerosene etc.) are expensive and also causes noxious and polluting emissions. Solar Air heating systems would be an affordable, healthy and eco-friendly solution suitable for the extreme climate conditions. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) of India and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH jointly support the implementation of solar air heating solutions in Ladakh. The project is commissioned by the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

The technology has been already developed and implemented in the Altiplano, Argentina and is working from last 15 years in an area with similar climate conditions like Ladakh. It has been developed by German experts under leadership of the Solar institute Jülich (University of Aachen) which has internationally a very high reputation. Based on the proven solutions developed in Altiplano, the knowledge of reliable, economical and locally manufactured solar thermal systems for space heating shall be transferred and optimized for Laddakh.

Project example:
Solar thermal solutions for space heating in Ladakh