In an effort to provide the best living conditions for their migrant workers, Promotora Agroindustrial y Comercial del Tamazula has chosen to use environmentally-friendly solar water heating systems for personal hygiene, in their housing facilities. These represent an affordable, natural and endless alternative; as they use solar energy to function and avoid the emission of pollutants from other energies used for the same purpose.

According to information from The National Mexican Committee for Efficient Energy Use (Comisión Nacional para el Uso Eficiente de la Energía, or CONUEE), a division of the Ministry of Energy, “solar radiation that reaches the planet is 10,000 times greater than the world’s demand of primary energy;” that is, from the energy contained in fuels and other types of energy (oil, gas, coal, etc.).” The benefits from the use of solar energy may be economic, energetic and environmental.

According to the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático or INECC), solar heaters capture radiation, turn it into thermal energy and transfer it to water. Once hot, this is stored in a tank or thermal deposit.

There are two types of solar heaters:

Flat. This type of solar heater captures solar energy through flaps or plates thermally connected to a grating of tubes where water circulates. The collector is inside an insulated box to keep the heat in the tubes; on the side exposed to the sun it has a glass cover.

Evacuated tubes. It consists of several vacuum glass tubes containing, in turn, metal tubes connected in parallel to the tank or thermal deposit where water circulates.

According to CONUEE, the installation must be performed on the roof of the housing facility or in a very sunny area, and direct in such a manner that it gets the largest amount of solar radiation (towards the geographical south in the case of Mexico). The slope of the collector will depend on the latitude of the place and on climate conditions; for example, in Mexico it leans at approximately 23 degrees.

Currently, Promotora Agroindustrial y Comercial del Tamazula chaired by Mr. Enrique Rodarte and his son José Enrique Rodarte Espinoza de Los Monteros, has these solar heaters in all housing units, contributing a bit more to the well-being of workers and their families.

This company has over 80 years of experience in the production of cucumbers. Currently, the varieties they handle are: Slicer and Mini Persian cucumber.

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