Portugal

• 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

• Europe: Heineken Brewery to Install Three Big Solar Plants-

  The famous beer brand Heineken has just placed an order for three big solar thermal plants that will produce the heat required for the brewery’s industrial processes at different company sites. Two of these systems will be installed at breweries – one in Valencia, Spain, and one in Göß, Austria - and one will be set up at a malting plant in Vialonga, Portugal. The photo shows beer bottles on their way into the tunnel pasteuriser at the Valencia brewery.
  Photo: AEE INTEC

• Summary of Achievements for ProSTO project (2011)-

  This document summarises the main achievements of ProSTO, an IEE funded project on the ‘best practice implementation of solar thermal obligations’. Implemented by Ambiente Italy, the project ran from 2008-2010 in five European countries (Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal Romania), with the general objective to ‘boost the use of solar thermal systems in the European countries by promoting an efficient implementation of solar thermal obligations (STOs)’.

• Eurosun 2010: Joining Forces for Europe’s biggest Solar Heating and Cooling Conference -

  All signs point to a successful conference: Experienced event organizer AEE Intec from Austria and PSE from Germany, teamed up with the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) and the members of the International Energy Agency's (IEA SHC) Solar Heating and Cooling Programme to organize this year´s Eurosun conference.

• More Research Needed for New Storage Materials-

  If solar energy is to be the primary or only source of heat for houses in the future, there will arise a need for storing it more efficiently. Materials have to be found that are able to hold more energy than water, but with less volume and higher loss. Task 32 of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Solar & Cooling programme was working on this issue. The scientists presented their results at the Eurosun 2008 in Lisbon, at the beginning of October.

• Portugal: Last Quarter Exceeds Expectations-

  In the last quarter of 2011, the Portuguese solar thermal market has seen a sudden spike in sales, allowing the newly installed collector area per year to surpass 125,000 m² (88 MW_th). The surprising development seems to be a result of two tax changes that have taken place at the beginning of this year: Since January 2012, the VAT rate of all renewable energy equipment has been increased by an additional 10%. At the same time, energy prices of fossil fuels have risen as well, because electricity and natural gas have been charged with a VAT rate of 23% since the beginning of this year.
  Source: Apisolar

• Sonnenkraft: “We Have a Responsibility to Innovate and Develop Solar Energy”- With the expansion to the United Kingdom and Switzerland, Sonnenkraft’s network of sales offices now spans across nine countries. When adding the company’s partnerships in other markets, the manufacturer is among the solar thermal businesses with the most extensive market coverage across Europe. Solarthermalworld.org spoke to Magnus Wallin (left), who has been Director of new and emerging markets in Sonnenkraft since 2008, and Torben Sørensen (right), CEO of SolarCAP since 2010 (the Danish holding company of Sonnenkraft – among other companies) who came from a position as CEO of Faber and Benthin Group (subsidiaries of VKR Holding), about the market potential in different European countries and the company’s future growth strategy.
  Photos: Sonnenkraft
• Portugal: Full Architectural Integration of Solar Thermal Technology-

  The architectural integration of solar thermal collectors has long been a concern to the industry. Portuguese company Sunaitec has now patented a new solution for the residential sector. According to General Manager Amílcar Lopes, 25 systems with the so-called ‘Multifunction Solar Structures’ have already been installed in Portugal. A first installation is also planned in Brazil. Sunaitec has been showcasing the multi-purpose solar thermal systems on several international events, including the Expo 2010 Shanghai and the GreenSolutions 2011 in Mexico.
  Photo: Sunaitec

• Spain: Export Helps Solar Thermal Industry Survive-

  One of the biggest Spanish collector manufacturers, Termicol, can still celebrate its 10^th anniversary this year. The company has managed to counter the decline in the Spanish market by expanding its business abroad. Today, the export of collectors generates 20 % of the company´s turnover. With its own brand, Termicol claims a market share of around 10 % in its home country.
  Photo: Termicol

• Portugal: Huge Solar Potential in Lisbon’s Historical Downtown-

  The historical downtown area of the Portuguese capital, known as Baixa Pombalina, has a collector area potential of 100,000 m². This is the result of the study “Carta do Potencial de Integração de Sistemas Solares na Baixa Pombalina”, which was developed within European project ProSTO - Best Practice Implementation of Solar Thermal Obligations - coordinated by Lisbon’s Municipal Energy and Environment Agency, Lisboa E-Nova, in cooperation with the city council and IGESPAR (Portuguese Institute for the Management of Architectural and Archaeological Heritage). The photo shows the Arco da Rua Augusta – the entrance to Baixa Pombalina.
  Photo: Wikipedia

• Portugal: Increase in VAT Rate in 2012-

  Apisolar, the Portuguese national solar association, expects a 30% decrease in newly installed collector area this year. The forecast until the end of 2011 is 127,000 m² (89 MW), whereas around 180,000 m² of collector area were newly installed in 2010. This year's low demand has partly been a result of the changes in the national support policy. And, some more major changes in the country’s fiscal policy are coming into effect at the beginning of 2012 - which means the downward trend is not likely to be stopped next year, too.
  Source: Apisolar

• Finland: In-line Coating Machine for complete Direct-Flow Absorbers-

  A full aluminium direct-flow absorber with a newly developed coating from Finland won one of the three Solar Thermal Intersolar Awards at the Intersolar 2011 in Munich, Germany. The photo shows the respective in-line coating machine by Finnish company Savo-Solar Oy. In cooperation with the Danish company Hydro Aluminium Precision Tubing, both companies were able to impress the jury with the new developed “Savo-Solar Al-MPE” absorber. The other two prizes went to Vetter Gesellschaft für Medizinische Datentechnik, Bio- und Umwelttechnik mbH, Germany, for developing a parabolic trough collector which opens up a diverse range of installation possibilities, and to Swedish company Absolicon Solar Concentrator for a PVT collector combining solar power generation with the use of solar heat.
  Photo: Savo-Solar Oy

• On the Sustainable Development of Solar Thermal Obligations in Buildings in the Framework of the Portuguese Case (2008)-

  This paper was presented by a group of researchers of the INETI (National Institute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation), during the EUROSUN Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2008. The paper explains the steps given to prepare a solar thermal obligation (STO) in the country. It passes in review the existing legislation and incentives for the development of solar thermal in Portugal. A regulation for thermal performance of buildings was created in 2006 to comply with the European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings (2002/91/CE).

• Portugal: Market Players facing Serious Problems -

  Two months after the new government came to power, its strategy for solar energy still remains a mystery: The new subsidy programme barely mentions renewable energies, but focuses on energy efficiency instead. Last year's two subsidy schemes for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) and sports facilities have also stopped. And, the tax rebates of roughly EUR 800 for residential clients who purchase renewable energies equipment have no longer been in place since an agreement of the government with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). At present, buyers of solar water heaters can only declare a limited amount as a tax benefit, which means a much smaller savings effect.

• Poland: Sunex to go public by September -

  Becoming a publicly traded company by September: the first step of Sunex' strategy to enter new markets and invest in a factory outside the country. The solar collector manufacturer will be listed on New Connect, the Warsaw stock market for small enterprises. In August, Sunex already sold 0.76 % of its stocks to investors through private offers, gaining about PLN 0.55 million (EUR 0.13 million). “We have decided to enter New Connect to let the market give us a valuation of our company before we get listed on the main trading floor of the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE),” the company’s President, Romuald Kalyciok (see photo), explains. Further share sales are planned for 2012.
  Photo: Puls Biznesu

• Portugal: Incentive Programme with Obstacles-

  At the moment, the most important factor for the sales success in Portugal is to either be able to join the incentive programme – or to be left out of it. Only seven companies acquired the programme's membership so far (as of mid-May): The three Portuguese brands Norquente, Openplus and Solargus, the Vulcano brand of the German heating giant BBT Thermotechnik, Wikora, which is a German solar thermal system supplier, and Rigsun, a brand from Greece.
  

• 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

• Solar Energy for Food Security in West Africa (2009)-

  This document compiles different posters that were presented during the International Solar Food Processing Conference that took place in India in January 2009. The posters refer the importance of using renewable energy sources, notably solar, for sustainable local economic development purposes, by demonstrating the efficiency of such systems in different areas: food processing, dying, cooking and preservation. Different case studies are presented in Burkina Faso, Portugal, Chile and India.

   

• 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.

• Manual for Solar Collector Installers (2004)-

  This manual was prepared by Água Quente Solar, a Portuguese public programme promoting the use of solar panels for water heating. The guide provides information and guidance on how to install a solar collector, things to take into account in terms of technology, weather, shadows, best location. Recommendations, best practices, monitoring, among other important details to respect for a proper and qualified installation of solar collectors.

• Portugal: End of Subsidy Programme jeopardizes Market-

  Now it is official: The Portuguese government will not extend the solar thermal incentive programme, contrary to informal statements made by the responsible authorities since December 2009. Stopping the incentives could jeopardize a sector which has finally made good progress over the last year.

• Portugal: More than 150 SMEs and 750 Social Institutions apply for National Incentive Programmes-

  There was great interest in the two incentive programmes in Portugal whose application deadline ended on 30 November 2010. The first scheme addressed Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) which wanted to invest in a solar heating and cooling installation. The second scheme supported energy-efficient technologies in Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS) and public sports facilities. Portuguese magazine Climatização has now published the related statistics by the Portuguese energy agency ADENE.

• The Market Potential of Micro-CHCP (2009)-

  This is a study assessing the market potential of small scale Combined Heating Cooling and Power (CHCP) in several European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). The study is one of the final deliverables of the PolySMART Project (POLYgeneration with advanced small and medium scale thermally driven air-conditioning and refrigeration technology), an integrated project partly funded by the European Commission under 6th Framework Programme.

• Lisbon: Solar cooling system for office complex- Solar thermal installation on top of this huge banking complex in Lisbon: The Portuguese state bank Caixa Geral de Depositos (CGD) commissioned the Austrian engineering company S.O.L.I.D. to design the solar cooling plant. Photo: S.O.L.I.D.
  

• 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

• “We Were Clearly in Need of the Incentive Programme”-

  Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Manuel Collares-Pereira,  R&D director of the Portuguese collector manufacturer Aosol, about the development of his company and the Portuguese solar thermal incentive programme. Photo: Aosol

• Portugal: Training Programme for 5,200 qualified Installers-

  The only way to receive the certificate of competence (CAP) as an installer in Portugal is to attend a 44- to 70-hour training, depending on one's previous knowledge of the respective systems. The entire course costs around EUR 600.
  Source: clubsetubalense.pt
  /08/tcc/802-282.jpg

• Portugal: New Subsidy Programme to start in October-

  The government's announcement to invite tenders for a new subsidy scheme was met with mixed feelings throughout the industry: It represents a great chance, but comes at a wrong time.
  Photo: Vulcano

• Portuguese Car Components Supplier enters Solar Thermal Industry-

  MCG has plans to start producing a flat plate collector with a Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) in the near future. The Portuguese company located in Carregado 50 km north of Lisbon has manufactured components for the automotive industry since 1978. “MCG possesses know-how in the area of mass assembly and production. Equipped with this knowledge, it could gain the pole position on the solar thermal market and the strength to maintain it,” MCG Solar Sales Director Paulo Neves says.
  Photo: MCG

• 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

• Portugal launches Support Programme for Social Institutions-

  The Portuguese government continues its support for the solar thermal sector with an incentive programme for non-profit entities and sports institutions. Announced this June (see link http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1329), it was launched on 19 July and allows the submission of applications until 29 October. Projects selected in the north and middle of the country, as well as in the Alentejo region will receive funding of 70% of the investment costs, whereas the Lisbon area and the Algarve region are only eligible for a 50% subsidy. On 23 July, energy agency ADENE signed an agreement with several commercial banks to administer the funds: BPI, Millennium BCP, BES, Banco Popular, Santander Totta, BANIF, General Atlantic and Montepio Caixa Geral de Depósitos.

• 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

• European Solar Days: Around 6,600 Events in 17 European Countries-

  Everything revolves around the sun: 17 European countries participate in the 3rd edition of the European Solar Days from 1 to 16 May 2010. Around 6,600 events are planned for this year’s campaign, involving several hundred thousand citizens at a local level.
  Photo: Fotostudio Pflueg

• Solar Thermal Obligations In Buildings in the Framework of the Portuguese Case (2008)-

  This paper was created by M. Lopes Prates, J. Cruz Costa, J. Farinha Mendes, and Maria João Carvalho of Portugal’s Department of Renewable Energies at INETI, the National Institute of Engineering and Industrial Technology. The focus of this paper is on the legislative and regulatory frameworks of the Portuguese government, pertaining to solar thermal technology, and their effect on the industry and its market.

• 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:

• Use of Solar Collectors for Water Heating in Domestic Sector (2004)-

  This document was prepared by Água Quente Solar, a Portuguese public programme promoting the use of solar panels for water heating. This is an introductory document to solar water heating. It explains its applications, the advantages of its use, the purpose, price information, integration in buildings, how to choose a solar collector, where to get advise, certification and warranty. The document is an example to other national authorities wanting to raise the awareness of the general society to the benefits of using solar water heating in the domestic sector.

• Eurosun 2008: Decision for Solar Thermal-

  Eurosun 2008 took place in Lisbon from 7^th to 10^th of October. Photo: Joachim Berner

• REPAP2020: Roadmap Fixes 2020 Targets for the Solar Share in the Heating and Cooling Sector-

  Some countries in Europe have made plans for using solar energy to cover between 1 and 4% of their gross final demand of heating and cooling by 2020. The states with the most ambitious targets regarding their national sector are Portugal, Germany and France.
  Source: National RES Industry Roadmaps

• Process Heat: the Solar Thermal Challenge of the Future-

  So far solar thermal technology is mostly used for domestic hot water, pool heating and room heating. It´s often forgotten that there is a huge demand for heat below 250 °C in industry, which can easily be reached with solar thermal collectors.

  An international team of researchers working on behalf of the International Energy Agency estimated the realisable potential of solar process heat in the European Union at 100 GW_th, which corresponds to 140 million m² of collector area. T

  Today, however, a solar thermal capacity of only 13.5 GW_th is in operation across Europe. Task 33 of the International Energy Agency reported 85 solar process heat plants worldwide with a capacity of 27 MWth. However, this market segment seems to be waking up. Just recently, news about huge solar process heat installations did the rounds. There is the 13,000 m² plant in Hangzhou, China, on the roof of the textile dyeing factory Daly Ltd., which is most probably the biggest installation for solar process heat in the world. The total investment adds up to RMB 12 million (€ 1.11 million) including the tanks and mounting system. According to the project developer, the Chinese company Shenzhen Quir Solar Technology Co., Ltd, the solar collectors will save RMB 3.38 million (€ 0.31 million) per year, so that the investment will pay off within 3 years. The hot water is provided at a low temperature of 55 °C. Secondly, this summer the German brewery Hofmühl GmbH in Eichstätt will start operating a pilot plant with 1,389 m² of vacuum tube collectors, which will supply process heat between 90 and 140 °C to the brewing and cleaning processes. The owner of the system estimates a reduction of 20 % in the annual energy demand of the factory. The company is convinced that the investment will pay off and has plans for subsequent upsizing to 3,000 m². The project is being subsidised by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

  What are the main topics for the future to open this new market sector?

• European Solar Days Kick-off Today-

  The second European Solar Days are celebrated from 15 to 22 May with more than 500.000 citizens participating in 7.000 events in 15 European countries.

• Solar Energy Activities in IEA Countries 2005 - This 2005 report on solar energy activities in IEA (International Energy Agency) Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) countries provides an overview of national activities and key trends of a total of 13 countries. Detailed information is offered on national solar activities, notably on the status of government policies, funding levels, R&D, technology advances, and commercial development. Each report further concludes with an outlook for solar over the next five years in that country.
• Solar Thermal Ordinances: State of Art in Europe (2008)-

  This report, from 2008, produced by Intelligent Energy Europe, and integrated in the ProSTO project (Best Practice Implementation of Solar Thermal Obligations) makes an assessment of existing solar thermal ordinances (STO), using a total of 11 case studies in different countries such as Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland and Portugal.

• Portugal: Ambitious National Targets for Solar Thermal-

  The European renewable energy directive states an ambitious national target for Portugal: The southern European country is to reach a renewable energy share of 31 % in its total energy demand for 2020. At the same time, the government has shown a strong commitment to renewable energy technology: It is determined to be among the five leading European countries when it comes to exporting solar and wind technology.
  

• 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:

• Portugal: Solar Obligation since 2006 -

  To increase the use of renewable energy sources is one of three goals in the Portuguese National Strategy for Energy. One instrument is a solar thermal obligation which entered into force in 2006. Its introduction has been prepared by a market stimulation programme.

• 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.

• Portugal’s Solar Thermal Market in 2008-

  This presentation from 2009 released by ADENE - Portuguese National Agency for Energy and Agua Quente Solar shows the evolution of the solar thermal market in Portugal in 2008.

• REFUND+ Final Report (2009)-

  The REFUND + project (2006-2009), supported by the Intelligent Energy Europe and ADEME (Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie), intends to identify, monitor and evaluate the impact of incentive schemes on the development of RES heating systems in private households in five countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal. Implementation of specific financial instruments was simulated in two case studies in Lithuania and Poland.

• Assessment of the World Bank/GEF Strategy for the Market Development of Concentrating Solar Thermal Power (2006)-

  This report from 2006 gives a detailed assessment on the approach of GEF towards concentrating solar power development. In particular it looks into the GEF's Operational Programme 7 (OP 7) which deals with the development of technologies with low greenhouse gas emissions that are not yet commercial, but which show promise of becoming so in the future.

• Process Heat Collectors - State of the Art within Task 33/IV-

  This document provides an overview into the types of process heat technology describing the technology in easy-to-understand terms, and provides information on their stage in development.

  Technologies covered are:

  Advanced Flat-plate Collectors
  Evacuated Tube Collectors
  CPC Collectors
  Parabolic Trough Collectors
  Linear Concentrating Fresnel Collectors
  Concentrating Collectors with Stationary Reflector

  The second section of the document provides an overview of installations and their operation.

• Energy Company Bosch Buys Cell Manufacturer Ersol-

  Robert Bosch GmbH has taken over the Thuringian solar cell manufacturer Ersol Solar Energy AG, Germany. In August the world’s largest automotive supplier and electronics company bought up 44.76 % of the shares from the previous majority shareholder Ventizz Capital Partners Advisory AG. Since announcing the takeover in June Bosch has bought up a further 29.34 %.

• SolTerm Manual 5.0: Analysis of Solar Thermal and PV Systems' Performance (2007)- This manual, produced by the INETI Instituto Nacional de Engenharia, Tecnologia e Inovação, relates to SolTerm 5, a software programme especially tuned for Portuguese climatic and technical conditions, to analyse the performance of solar systems, both PV and solar thermal.
• European Solar Days- The next European Solar Days will be celebrated from 1 to 16 May 2010 in 16 European countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia , Spain, Switzerland, Denmark , Norway, Netherlands, UK, Belgium, Hungary, Poland and Sweden. The two weeks event is coordinated by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) in close co-operation with the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) and supported by 24 organisations at a national and European level.
• Portugal: Unclear Conditions with the Incentive Programme-

  “The intentions were good, but the implementation was very confusing. When the programme started in March, the market players were not informed and only one company met the conditions of it”. This is how Jorge Vaz from the Portuguese collector manufacturer Openplus Energy Systems judged the new incentive programme in his country.

• 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

• Eurosun 2008, Lisbon- ISES - Europe warmly invites you to Lisbon - Portugal, to participate in EUROSUN 2008, the 7th Eurosun conference, since its launch in 1996.