Yuci District’s Koucun Balcony Wall-Mounted Solar Program Delivers Clean Hot Water to 1,512 Households

In 2021, Koucun in Yuci District, Jinzhong (Shanxi) completed a village-wide deployment of balcony wall-mounted solar water heaters, covering 1,512 households. The program answers day-to-day hot-water needs while advancing the goals of energy conservation and emission reduction across rural communities. Instead of making headlines with slogans, the project focuses on practical upgrades that residents can feel—reliable hot water, lower energy use, and a cleaner courtyard air in winter.

Why Koucun Chose Balcony Wall-Mounted Solar

Before the rollout, many homes relied on coal-fired boilers or electric heaters for domestic hot water. These options were familiar but costly and less friendly to the local environment. Balcony wall-mounted solar offers a tidy alternative: compact units mount directly to the façade, saving roof space and avoiding complicated roof reinforcement. For mixed rural housing—single-story homes and low-rise buildings—the wall-mounted format simplifies installation and maintenance while keeping performance stable through the seasons.

Project at a Glance

How the Rollout Worked

The district and project partners adopted a simple, service-first approach: unified planning, unified standards, and household installation. Technicians surveyed building façades, selected the appropriate bracket and collector specifications, and coordinated batch installation street by street. Each family received basic training on safe operation and seasonal maintenance, and a service contact for follow-up support. The result was a neat line-up of units that blend into the streetscape without taking over rooftops.

Technology Highlights

• Distributed energy: Every home has its own clean hot-water source, reducing peak loads on the grid and building a resilient network of distributed energy.

• Efficient absorption: High-performance flat-plate collectors convert sunlight into usable heat; insulation keeps water warm through cold spells.

• Compact design: Wall-mounted frames save roof space and avoid heavy roof work—ideal for rural homes and low-rise apartments.

• Low upkeep: Accessible placement and standardized parts mean easier servicing and fewer disruptions.

Taken together, these features turn the system into a practical piece of clean thermal energy infrastructure that fits rural life rather than asking residents to adapt to it.

What Residents Gain

Since commissioning, families have enjoyed steadier hot-water supply and fewer worries about winter fuel. Local feedback points to lower utility spending and a noticeable improvement in day-to-day convenience. For households with elderly residents or young children, the combination of reliable temperature and simple operation has been especially welcome.

More Than Comfort: Toward a Zero-Carbon Village

While the project is about hot water first and foremost, it also supports a broader agenda. By switching daily needs to clean thermal energy, Koucun moves closer to its zero-carbon village goals—cutting smoke in winter courtyards and shrinking the community’s carbon footprint over time. The program provides a template that nearby villages can follow: plan as a whole, install house by house, and build service capacity so systems keep running well.

What Comes Next

With the initial rollout complete, Yuci District is exploring complementary options that work alongside the balcony units—such as rooftop PV for electricity, modest thermal storage to stretch hot-water availability on cloudy days, and smart controllers for safer, more efficient operation. Each step adds another layer to the village’s distributed energy picture without asking residents to change how they live.