Greece

• Solar Systems Applications in the Dairy Industry-

  This brochure from the Greek Centre for Renewable Energy Sources looks into solar thermal applications in the dairy sector. It states that solar thermal systems can specifically contribute in the production processes where temperatures lower than 80° are needed. The brochure also compares the financial indicators and payback period for solar thermal systems with heating systems that use conventional fuels.

  Go to document

• Market Study - EU HighCombi project (2011)-

  This document provides information on the EU project HighCombi. It includes a market study of the project's six target countries, and outlines the solar thermal state of the art in each.

• CSP Feed-in Tariffs Guide (2011)-

  Written to support CSP Today’s 2011 concentrated solar power (CSP) event in Seville, this report provides an overview of the regulatory incentives schemes that exist to support the concentrated solar thermal industry around the world. It summarises the incentives and targets for CSP in nine countries: USA, South Africa, India, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Greece, and Portugal. For each, the feed-in tariffs, tax credits, or subsidies are specified and explained by different industry experts.

  Author: CSP Today

  Year: 2011

• Switzerland: Solar Thermal Industry calls for Rooftop Privileges-

  Reserving the roofs of residential houses in Switzerland for solar thermal installations: This is the major item from the request by the two well-known solar thermal manufacturers in Switzerland, Jenni Energietechnik and Soltop Schuppisser.
  Photo: Jenni

• Greece: How will the Solar Thermal Industry survive the Financial Crisis?-

  The solar thermal industry in Greece has not been as much affected by the financial crisis as other sectors in the country. A good case in point is Elitherm, one of the pioneering collector manufacturers in Greece, whose core business was floor heating products, piping and plastic window frames. “We had to reduce our number of employees from 150 to just 30,” explains Emmanouel Kastanakis, the owner of the company. The remaining staff is now concentrating on the production and sales of solar water heaters and photovoltaic systems.
  Photo: Elitherm

• Widening the Thermal Solar Energy Exploitation by the Successful Models (2011)-

  Running until 2012, “Widening the Thermal Solar Energy Exploitation by the Successful Models" (WidetheSee) is a project developed by 11 South-Eastern European countries and co-financed by the EU. It aims at promoting the usage of solar thermal technologies for domestic hot water appliances in the context of European policies concerning renewable energy sources and the reduction of fossil fuel dependence.

• IEA Study "Solar Heat Worldwide": Global Market Growth of 22 % in 2006-

  2006 was an extremely satisfying year for the global solar thermal industry. According to the new study “Solar Heat Worldwide. Markets and contribution to the Energy Supply 2006” on behalf of IEA Solar Heating & Cooling Programme the new installations grew 22 % in 2006. The authors from the Austrian research institute AEE Intec surveyed 48 countries and added up the newly installed collector area to 18.3 GWth (26.1 million m2).

• What are the advantages of solar thermal technology at a national level?- “Replacing imported fuels with local jobs”, this slogan of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) sums up perfectly the advantages of solar thermal technology for a national economy. The six biggest solar thermal markets in Europe – Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Greece and France – already exceeded 34,000 full time jobs in 2007 (check related article here). With an annual average growth rate of 20 % that is 6,800 jobs more each year. In the boom year 2008 in Europe this calculation results in 116,000 full-time jobs.
• Renewable Energy in Europe. Markets, Trends and Technologies (2010)-

  This second edition of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) study presents the latest political, technological, financial and economic information on renewable energy technologies in the fields of heating and cooling, electricity and biofuels in order to reach the binding 2020 target of at least 20 % renewable energy from final energy consumption.

• ESTEC 2011 in France: Early Bird Registration extended-

  The early bird registration for the European Solar Thermal Energy Conference (estec 2011) has been extended to 15 July. You can save around EUR 100 if you sign up for the 2-day conference before this date. It will take place in Marseilles, France, on 20 and 21 October 2011. Fees are lower for members of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) or the French Solar Association ENERPLAN.
  Photo: ESTIF

• UAE: Dubai with two Greek Solar Thermal Installations above 1,000 m²-

  Greek manufacturer Sole has already completed its second large-scale solar thermal project in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company installed a 1,026 m² (0.72 MWth) solar thermal system at the newly constructed Dubai Sports Complex, which provides the sports facilities with hot sanitary and swimming pool water. The photo shows Sole´s Managing Director, Vangelis Lamaris, testing the stability of the collector field.
  Photo: Sole

• ESTIF Statistics at Intersolar: Highs and Lows in the European Solar Thermal Market-

  More detailed market figures can be found in this year’s ESTIF booklet: The 16-page market report is going to be published at the Intersolar Europe in Munich. For the first time, the report will include a map showing key figures as well as articles with background information on solar cooling and large solar thermal systems. Source: ESTIF

• Potential for Solar Heat in Industrial Processes (2008)-

  This paper from 2008 wants to highlight the potential use of solar thermal plants to provide heat for industrial applications. It reports on studies which have been carried out accross the world: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

  The report states that the main focus of solar thermal today is on the residential sector, which, as is acknowledged, has a lot of opportunities. However, the report also shows that the potential for industrial applications may not be ignored due to its share in primary energy consumption.

• Overview of RES-H/RES-C Support Options (2009)-

  The present report was prepared in the framework of the RES-H Policy project (Policy development for improving RES-H/C penetration in European Member States (RES-H Policy)). The aim is to provide an overview of possible policy instruments to support the development of renewable heating (RES-H) and cooling (RES-C) technologies in the different EU Member States.

• 1,000 Solar Keymark Licenses for Collectors: among them 7 % from China -

  Solar Keymark is a very broadly accepted label on the European solar thermal market. More than 1,000 collector certificates have been issued since the introduction of the certification system in 2003.
  Source: www.solarkeymark.org

• Intersolar Speakers present latest figures of key Solar Thermal Markets-

  Several well-known speakers shared their market figures from key solar thermal markets worldwide with the audience of the Global Solar Thermal Markets session at the Intersolar Conference at the beginning of June. Whereas India and Brazil maintain high growth rates, the European solar heating and cooling sector has to again cope with a decline of now 13 % in 2010 compared to the previous year. The chart shows the developments of markets with a volume of 200,000 and 500,000 m². It is part of the 16-page brochure “Solar Thermal Markets in Europe”, which the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) presented at the Intersolar.
  Figure: ESTIF

• Launch of ISOL Navigator: Asia moves up, while Europe lags behind -

  The ISOL Navigator has been launched at the Intersolar Europe in Munich at the 8th of June. The international study presents the current and future market development in 16 key solar heating and cooling countries. The ISOL Navigator is based on the “ISOL Index”, an international business climate index developed by German agency solrico at the beginning of 2010. This ISOL index is a point-based indicator (ranging from 0 to 100 points) showing the satisfaction of solar thermal manufacturers and system suppliers with current and expected market development. Company values are averaged to obtain country and regional indices.
  Figure: solrico

• Tunisia: „The solar thermal sector was not much affected by the revolution“-

  The economic situation in Tunisia two months after former President Ben Ali left the country is back to normal. Material supply is available without delay, the grants of the incentive programme are paid and even the demand for solar water heaters slowed down only a bit. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Amjed Sibai, Managing Director of Sines Industries, one of the largest collector and tank manufacturers in the country, about the current business situation in Tunisia. Sines was founded in 2005 by him and his brother Ismail Sibai, who transferred the technology from their Greek partner which has been in the solar thermal market since 1976.

• Israel: The History of Punching Machines-

  There are two suppliers of punching machines from Israel challenging each other to have been the first to market on the market: Ravid Solar Solutions and Dagan Machine Engineering. The history of both companies shows certain parallels, as both companies were founded by former employers of Israeli collector manufacturers. The photo shows a fully automated punching machine by Ravid Solar Solutions.
  Photo: Ravid Solar Solutions

• Greece mandates Solar for new and refurbished Buildings-

  Every fourth Greek household gets its hot water from heating with the sun. The solar market, however, stagnated in 2010. Substantial support mechanisms are needed to fulfil the objectives of the National Renewable Energy Action Plan.
  Photo: Joachim Berner

• NREAPs: Only 8 countries to plan with significant Area and Growth Rates-

  Clear-cut concepts and mandatory targets to protect the climate was what the European Commission requested from the 27 EU members as they created their National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs). On 30 June 2010, 23 states delivered their national version – with meagre success for solar thermal technology. Carried out by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), an analysis of the presently available NREAPs shows that only the 8 countries displayed in the figure above included significant collector area and growth rates in their plans lasting until 2020.
  Source: ESTIF

• Greece: Residential PV Feed-in Tariff Requires Renewable Heating Installation -

  The statement "Photovoltaics is strong competition" resulted in different responses among the solar industries of different countries. Greece is one of the countries where the industry does not agree with it. Source: solrico
  

• Hungary: Interesting but highly fluctuating Market-

  Over the last years, Hungary has turned out to be an interesting but highly fluctuating market for solar thermal technology. Through its subsidiary in the neighbouring country, Austrian manufacturer Tisun has been doing business in Hungary since 2008 and has already made its mark on the state's solar thermal sector. In December 2009, the company supplied the collectors for the so-called „Village House“ in Budapest, with its 1,500m² the country's largest thermal system so far. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Michael Tschol, Tisun's Sales Director for the Hungarian market, and Balázs Szendrö, Tisun's Sales Manager on-site in Hungary.
  Photo: Tisun

• A Common Framework for a Coordinated/Harmonised Policy on Renewable Heating (2010)-

  The present document was prepared in the framework of the RES-H Policy project (Policy development for improving RES-H/C penetration in European Member States). The RES-H Policy project, supported by the European Commission through the IEE programme, has the objective of supporting EU Member States (Austria, Greece, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland and UK) in the implementation of the so-called RES 2020 Directive (2009/28/EC).

• South Korea: Improved Machinery Equipment for automated Solutions-

  Brazing, soldering and welding specialist Dr Shin from South Korea: The Managing Director of Korean machinery equipment supplier SK Brazing presented several improved products for the manufacturing of tanks and collectors at the Intersolar North America in San Francisco in July 2010.
  Photo: Bärbel Epp

• SOLAIR: Survey of Available Technical Solutions and Successful Running Systems - Cross-Country Analysis-

  This paper compares existing databases of knowledge on the solar cooling applications from across Europe with SOLAIR’s own database. References are made to the SACE (Solar Air-Conditioning in Europe) project and the Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) of the International Energy Agency.

  According to the Report, previous databases concluded that 70 solar cooling installations were present in Europe in 2004 with the majority residing in Germany.

  SOLAIR’s database had a different focus and therefore includes data such as:

• Algeria: 20,000 Pupils Trained in Saving Energy-

  Over the last four years, more than 20,000 pupils from 60 schools have been taught about energy saving and the different types of renewable energy in Algeria. The Fourth Open House Day in Algeria has resulted in 15 new thermosiphon systems for schools. Photo: APRUE

• South Africa: 2009 Study of the Solar Water Heater Market-

  Commercial systems are gaining importance in South Africa: A recent market survey by national energy provider Eskom estimates that 15% of the installed collector area in 2009 were part of large-scale solar thermal systems.
  Photo: Solar Beam

• The Solar Thermal Market in Thailand-

  The Thai market could reach a 40% use of solar thermal energies in ten years time if the correct policies are put into place, concludes a study presented during a Renewable Energy Conference, in 2007, in Bangkok.

• International Comparison of Warranty Periods granted by Collector Manufacturers-

  “How long is the warranty period of your flat plate or your vacuum tube collector?” This question was posed as part of a global solar thermal industry survey to 300 collector manufacturers from 40 different countries. Figure: solrico

• QualiCert Newsletter - December 2009- The first edition of the QualiCert Project Newsletter
  Newsletter N1 -
• Market Report for Small and Medium-Sized Solar Air-Conditioning Appliances Analysis of Market Potential-

  This Report focuses on the 8 participating countries’ markets to the SOLAIR project and provides a market review and analysis of small and medium-sized solar air-conditioning (SAC) appliances.

  This Report begins with a comparison with all countries markets’ status quo that is presented in a very digestible format of graphs and key data. The main section of the Report looks in depth at each country and provides an overview based on the following issues:

• Greece: A newly founded and independent Energy Ministry heads the drafting of NREAP-

  Some recent personnel changes taken by the new Greek government makes you optimistic about the future of renewable energy policy in Greece. First, the government appointed Prof. Arthouros Zervos, long-term President of the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), CEO of state-controlled Public Power Corporation (PPC), the country’s biggest electricity provider.

• Concentrating Solar Power for the Mediterranean Region-

  This 2005 report assesses the data that is needed in order for strategic development and to achieve long-term energy and water security in the wide Mediterranean Region. A major part of the study focuses on concentrating solar thermal power generation since it is considered by far the largest available renewable energy resource in the EU-MENA region. 

• PROCESOL II: Solar thermal plants in industrial processes – Design and maintenance guidelines (2002)- PROCESOL II project intends to promote the use of solar thermal systems coupled with heat recovery technologies in the industrial sector in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, France and Belgium.
• An Overview of CSP in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East (2008)-

  This document from 2008 gives a comprehensive overview of CSP development in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The paper first looks into the key drivers and key inhibitors that impact the growth of CSP. Particular attention is given to the cost factor of CSP such as initial investment costs and the operating & maintenance costs.

• The Solar Thermal Electricity Industry’s Proposal for the Mediterranean Solar Plan (2009)- Following the the contribution from ESTELA (European Solar Thermal Electricity Association) to the European Commission’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan, ESTELA has also issued its proposal for the Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP). One of the main goals of the MSP is to contribute to the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean regional renewable electricity market. In addition, the MSP will also help the economic development of Southern Mediterranean countries by creating a new source of revenue.
• Solar Power from Europe’s Sun Belt (2009)-

  This 2009 document is the contribution from ESTELA (European Solar Thermal Electricity Association) to the European Commission’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan. The report gives a good overview of the strategic benefits of focusing on solar thermal and connects it with its socio-economic benefits.

• Solar Heat Used Rarely in Industrial Processes- If solar heat likes to gain more importance in the future, it should not ignore the industrial sector. Task 33 of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Solar Heating & Cooling programme performed an analysis of industrial energy needs and looked for the potential of solar heat within the sector. The Task’s scientists found a huge potential for energy from the sun. The industrial sector makes up about 28 % of total primary energy consumption in the European Union. A significant share of the heat used in industrial processes is used at low or medium temperatures.
• Framework Conditions for Solar Thermal Energy Use in the Southern Mediterranean Countries-

  SOLATERM is a project funded by the EU 6th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP6).

  This 2007 report provides a very good overview of the market situations in the 8 participating Mediterranean countries. It is a very useful document for policy-makers wanting an overview of recent legislative frameworks, financial incentives and market potential for growth.

• HIGH-COMBI Project - High Solar Fraction Heating & Cooling Systems with Combination of Innovative Components & Methods (2007)-

  This document provides information on building types and climates of the countries involved in the EU project HighCombi. The HighCombi project was launched in 2007 with a two-year duration and aims at the development and demonstration of solar thermal heating and cooling systems with high solar fraction. Co-funded by the European Commission, within the Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006), the project consortium involves twelve partners from six European countries (Greece, Spain, Italy, Romania, Germany and Austria).

• Strategic Partnerships for Turnkey Solar Collector Factories-

  Premiere at the Intersolar fair in Munich, Germany: SMI from Italy and Sunrise from Greece publicly announced their strategic partnership, with the goal to offer turnkey machinery solutions to the solar thermal industry. Photo: Bärbel Epp

• Dynamic Growth Throughout the European Solar Thermal Sector -

  Estec2009 – a meeting point for solar thermal experts in Europe: Around 400 representatives of associations, as well as manufacturers, politicians and researchers discussed trends, potentials and obstacles of the solar thermal sector. Photo: Bärbel Epp

• International Experiences with the Promotion of Solar Water Heaters (SWH) at Household-level-

  The objective of this paper is to analyse and evaluate international experiences with the promotion of solar water heaters at household level.

  During the compilation of this study, it became apparent that responsible organisations did not pay much attention to a distinct monitoring and an explicit evaluation of promotion programmes. The study shows which promotion measures resulted particularly successful, which difficulties occurred during their implementation and how these circumstances possibly could have been avoided.

• Construction firm Wacker Neuson launches collector production-

  Sales manager Klaus Fürlinger presented the first collectors from the new production site in Austria. Photo: Bärbel Epp
  

• Promotion of Solar Water Heaters- This 55-page study "International Experiences with the Promotion of Solar Water Heaters on Household-level", published in October 2006, introduces possible promotion mechanisms for solar water heaters on a household-level. Criteria for their assessment are defined in compliance therewith. The main focus of this paper is on describing and evaluating international experiences with promotion mechanisms in Germany, Greece, France, Tunisia, and Barcelona. Further information: www.gtz.de/en/praxis/12538.htm