Energy-saving becomes the main theme of the development of the water heater industry

What are the keywords for the development of the water heater industry? A few days ago, the China (4th) Water Heater Industry Forum hosted by the China Electronics News Agency gave the answer “Energy Saving”. Around the keyword of energy saving, electricity, gas, and solar water heaters have undergone technological upgrading, and new forms of energy-saving products have also emerged. The water heater industry has been driven by energy-saving technologies and has started a new round of development.

Working together to promote energy-saving technology upgrades

Mainstream companies are making energy-saving technologies and energy-saving products are becoming mainstream.

Although there are still many companies in the water heater industry, in general, the brand concentration of the water heater industry is relatively high. According to data from Zhong Yikang, the top 10 companies in the overall water heater market in 2010 accounted for nearly 80% of the market share. From the perspective of market share, the top five companies were Haier (20.07%). A. O. Smith (14.76%), Midea (8.81%), Wanhe (9.01%) and Macro (8.32%). The products that occupy the mainstream position in the market are still electric storage water heaters and gas water heaters. The market share of these two types of products reaches 94.22%.

At the 2011 China (4th) Water Heater Industry Forum, Haier, Midea, Wanhe, and A. O. Smith and many other companies exhibited their main energy-saving products. For example, Midea displayed its electric, gas, and solar energy-saving energy-saving water heaters.

From the perspective of recent trends of these major companies, energy-saving upgrades have become a common choice for these companies. Haier launched five energy-saving products and solutions such as high-efficiency condensing water heaters, waste heat recovery water heaters, air source heat pump water heaters, and flat panel solar water heaters. A. O. Smith will increase capital by 500 million yuan to build the industry's first low-carbon energy-saving water heater R&D and production base in Nanjing. The completion of the new water heater production base will make A. O. Smith's production capacity doubled again.

The United States introduced a constant-temperature electric water heater to solve the problem of unstable water heaters and energy waste. It can save 30.8% of water and 22,92 liters of hot water when heated to the same temperature as an ordinary water heater. In addition, Midea cooperated with the Shenzhen Advanced Technology Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the development of water cyclone technology, using a patented shroud to guide the flow of cold water into the bladder, thereby reducing the loss of hot water. Its water whirlwind water heater, hot water output rate can be as high as 93.8%, even higher than the national level one energy efficiency standards.

Taken together, in the field of electric water heaters, companies are now launching their own energy-saving technologies, and products with more than one level of energy efficiency continue to emerge. In the field of gas-fired water heaters, leading companies in the industry are promoting “more-than-new” activities through companies to promote more energy-efficient condensation. The popularity of water heaters.

Chen Gang, deputy secretary-general of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, said: “From the viewpoint of the performance of the water heater market in 2010, along with water storage and gas water heaters have been incorporated into the energy efficiency regulatory system, the proportion of energy-saving products on the market has continued to increase, and energy-saving technologies have been continuously upgraded.”

Energy Product Evolution

The integration of multi-energy integrated energy-saving water heaters has led to the emergence of cross-border competition in the industry.

In addition to the obvious trend of energy-saving upgrade for water storage and gas water heaters, another trend of the water heater market since 2010 is the evolution of energy-saving products.

At the China (4th) Water Heater Industry Forum in 2011, Wanhe Electric, which has occupied the leading position of gas water heater for many years, specially brought its “multi-energy complementary hot water system”, which will be a solar hot water unit, a heat pump hot water unit. Integrate the hot water supply system with the gas hot water unit and develop its own multi-energy complementary solar heat pump heating system. It utilizes a central intelligent control system to achieve synergistically optimized control of solar hot water units, heat pump hot water units, and gas-fired auxiliary heating units, and can independently start solar hot water units, heat pump hot water units, gas heating units (wall boilers) units, or Two kinds of units and three types of units will be started at the same time, giving priority to the use of solar energy and environmental heat sources, using gas as a supplemental energy source, realizing energy saving, environmental protection, health, and sustainable supply of hot water, enabling users to use it under various living environments. Stable hot water.

"Wanhe multi-energy complementary solar heat pump heating system can be widely used in the domestic, commercial hot water, heating, refrigeration field, leading to the formation of the corresponding industrial agglomeration, and has excellent performance in energy conservation and emission reduction, the market is vast." Li Huizhen, Minister of Electrical Brands, said: “We also hope that by participating in the forum, more peers will join in the research and development of multi-energy complementary products and promote the development of the water heater industry towards a more low-carbon and energy-saving development path. ”

In fact, this development trend has been valued by other leading water heater companies. Such as A. O. Smith's "half-power-saving" water heater is based on the storage of water heaters, an increase of heat pump energy-saving modules, can use the heat in the air to heat the hot water, compared with ordinary electric water heaters, can save half the energy.

Zhang Yachen, deputy chief engineer of the China Household Electrical Appliances Research Institute, said: “In fact, consumers need not water heaters. Consumers need hot water, and providing hot water solutions is an overall idea for product development and technological transformation and innovation. The product providers are gradually turning to providers of home hot water solutions.”

In the process of evolution of energy-saving products, water heater companies began to appear cross-border business, such as the past, the brand of electric water heaters began to develop gas water heaters, heat pump water heaters, gas water heater companies also introduced products such as electric heat and solar energy, traditional electric water heaters, gas water heaters The corporate camp is infiltrating each other.

"At present, the cross-border competition in the water heater industry is becoming more and more obvious. The leading brand of electric storage water heaters represented by Haier is gradually entering the gas water heater market. In the past three years, Haier has gradually increased its share of gas water heaters. A. O. Smith is not only firmly occupying the second place of the electric storage water heater, it is working hard to enter the field of gas water heaters; in addition, Ariston, Whirlpool and other companies have similar development trend." Peng Yi, director of research and marketing at Zhongkang Market said.