Following the launch of the world’s first air conditioner using solar photovoltaic technology in December 2010, Gree also quietly launched solar air conditioning. Recently, Xinfei also reported that it will launch a solar-thermal refrigerator jointly developed with the China Institute of Home Appliances this year. As a well-known color TV giant in China, Changhong recently presented 20,000 sets of portable solar direct-to-satellite digital TV to Tibetan herdsmen in Sichuan.
A number of home appliance companies told the "China Enterprise News" reporter that compared with other new energy technologies, Chinese companies have found a market-oriented and large-scale development path in the integration of solar energy technologies and home appliances. First, domestic companies have established a complete industrial R&D system for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies; second, solar home appliances have little increase in production costs compared to ordinary home appliances, and the price difference is controlled at about 1,000-1,500 yuan, which is in line with high-end Consumer acceptance.
According to the introduction of Changhong R&D personnel, the solar portable digital satellite TV has realized the integration of portable solar power, TV, satellite receiving antenna, power supply and cabinet packaging. Changhong has completely independent intellectual property rights and has obtained a number of National invention patent technology. The solar energy source consists of a solar panel, a charge and discharge controller, and an energy storage battery pack. Under normal sunshine conditions, the illumination is conducted for 8 hours, and the average annual use time of the stored energy in the first year is not less than 5 hours.
In an interview with the China Enterprise News, Liu Haizhong, a spokeswoman for the Changhong Group, revealed that “in addition to popularizing solar TV in Tibetan areas, we will promote the use of this product in regions with good solar lighting conditions in the future.â€
At present, Midea Solar Air Conditioning Co., Ltd. has been retailing in home appliances stores in China. The first batch of 100,000 solar air conditioners also achieved exports to the US market. According to relevant sources of Midea Refrigeration Appliances' China Marketing Headquarters, since the first solar air conditioners were listed on the domestic market in mid-December last year, the market sales exceeded expectations, and the target of domestic sales of 50,000 units in 2011 will be exceeded. The U.S. side also disclosed that product technology research and development of solar refrigerators and washing machines has come to an end, and in the short term it will fully promote the upgrading of new energy sources in traditional home appliances.
In addition to the overall layout of traditional household appliances enterprises to the new energy sector, the cross-border expansion of new energy companies is quietly unfolding. Recently, Chen Ronghua, general manager of marketing of Solar Rain Solar Energy Co., Ltd., disclosed that “the company has invested many years of research and development in the solar thermal cooling technology, and will launch the application of the thermal technology cooling air conditioning in the future.
As early as more than 10 years ago, many foreign home appliance companies began to invest in R&D of new energy home appliances. Previously, Panasonic, Daikin, and LG have introduced a number of new energy products such as air conditioners that use solar photovoltaic technology at the show. However, domestic appliance companies have pointed out that compared with foreign companies, Chinese companies have solar photovoltaic power generation technology in addition to solar photovoltaic technology, which will be an important bargaining chip for Chinese companies to rush in new energy appliances.
In addition to the rise of solar home appliances, Internet of Things (IoT) appliances have been rapidly developed in recent years under the strong push of Haier, Midea, Hisense, TCL, Changhong, etc. In the future, it is expected that solar home appliances will develop in parallel with the development momentum.
New energy appliances become a trend
New Energy Appliances was not only included in the “Twelfth Five Year Plan†development plan of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, but also became a key emerging business of many home appliance giants such as Midea, Haier and Changhong in the next five years. However, compared with many new energy technologies such as the Internet of Things, air energy, biomass, and ground source energy, solar energy technology has won the top spot in the integration with home appliances since the end of 2010, and it has been favored by companies. New energy appliances such as solar air conditioners, solar refrigerators, and solar television have become new profit growth points for the company.