Abstract: There are many innovative ways of using solar assisted drying systems for agricultural produce and it depends of many factors including the drying temperature and duration of time to achieve the required quality of produce. The technical development of solar drying systems can proceed in two directions. Firstly, simple, low power, short life, and comparatively low efficiency-drying system. Secondly, high efficiency, high power, long life expensive drying system. The latter is characterized not only by an integrated structure but also integrating in an energy system involving process other than drying such as hot water when the drying system is not in use. In addition, air based solar collectors are not the only available systems. Water based collectors can also be used. A water to air heat exchanger can be used. The hot air that will be used to dry the product can be forced to flow in the water to air heat exchanger. In addition, the hot water tanks of the farm can be used as heat storage of the solar drying system. This paper will review the advances in solar assisted drying system for agricultural produce. The solar assisted drying systems are (a) the solar assisted drying systems with the V- grove collector (b) solar assisted drying systems with the double pass collector and (c) solar assisted dehumidification system and (d) solar assisted heat pump system The first two systems are air based solar collector systems and next two systems are a water based system.

Brief biography of the speaker:
Prof. Dr. Kamaruzzaman Bin Sopian obtained his BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985, MSc in Energy Resources from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 and PhD. in Mechanical Engineering from the Dorgan Solar Laboratory, University of Miami in 1997. He is presently the Professor in Renewable Energy at the Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Currently, he is the Director of the Solar Energy Research Institute, a center of excellence for the research and development in solar energy technology. He has been involved in the field of solar energy for more than twenty years. His main contributions are in solar radiation modeling, alternative material for solar absorber, solar water heating system with integrated storage system, solar desalination, solar cooling, daylighting using solar light pipes, solar assisted drying systems, grid-connected photovoltaic system, thin film silicon solar cells, combined photovoltaic thermal or hybrid collector and solar hydrogen production system.
He has published over 400 research papers in journals and conferences. He has delivered keynotes speeches at national and international conferences on renewable energy. He is the founding member of the Malaysian Institute of Energy, member of the World Renewable Energy Network based in the United Kingdom and is an associate editor of the Renewable Energy published by Elsevier Ltd. He heads several national subcommittees on renewable energy by the Malaysian government to promote awareness, market enhancement, policy studies and the applications renewable energy.