Finance and Incentives

• District Energy Solar Thermal System, St. Paul (2012)-

  This case study focuses on the district energy solar thermal heating system installed on the Saint Paul River Centre in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the time of the installation in 2011, this was the largest known solar thermal hot water heating installation in the United States.

• Project Idea Note: Solar Water Heating Fee-For-Service Program in the Caribbean (2009)-

  This document serves as a guide or outline to potentially creating a fee-for-service program in the Caribbean to deliver solar thermal water heating. It was created by The Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).

• Commercial Solar Water Heating California (2010)-

  This brochure was created by San Francisco Environment, a department of San Francisco County and City government. It provides information on solar thermal water heating for commercial and business use. Two solar thermal government incentives are detailed, more of which can be found here.

• Guide to Solar Thermal Incentives in Washington DC (2012)-

  This report from the District Department of the Environment, Washington DC’s local environmental agency, details how local citizens can use the city’s Renewable Energy Incentive Program (REIP) to receive incentives for using solar thermal systems. Further information on solar thermal incentives worldwide can be found here.

• Solar Hot Water Incentive Program - Connecticut (2012)-

  This brochure was created by Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority. It provides information on access to state incentives for solar thermal water heating. It is an updated version of this document with similar information from 2009. For information on other solar thermal incentive programs please click here.

• 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

• Bard College Shines (2012)-

  This case study was written by Gerhard Klier of EarthKind Solar. It details an installation project at Bard College in New York that was undertaken with funds from the Recovery Act.

• Great Britain: Low Impact of RHI on Solar Thermal Market -

  Five months after the introduction of the Renewable Heating Incentive for commercial installations, the scheme’s effect on the solar thermal sector is almost zero. Of the 21 renewable heating systems approved by the end of April 2012, 16 are solid biomass boilers, 4 heat pump projects – and only one is a solar thermal system. The same imbalance can be found across all of the applications submitted to the RHI authorities. There are only 7 solar thermal projects among the 485 sent-in papers, the RHI helpline of Ofgem, UK’s electricity and gas regulator, confirmed at the beginning of May. Ofgem is in charge of paying the feed-in tariff to the owners of renewable heating systems. 80 % to 90 % of the submitted projects are based on biomass. The remaining projects all include a heat pump solution.
  Source: Ofgem

• The South African Water Heating Industry (2011)-

  Presented by Dominic Goncalves at the Renewable Energy Africa Conference on July 28 2011, this presentation surveys the potential for the market development of the South African solar water heating industry. Because 18% of South Africa’s national electricity supply is allocated towards the heating of water, solar water heating is portrayed as a solution to the impending electricity crisis; whereby domestic demand for electricity far outstrips supply.

• Bulgaria: EU Funds to Boost Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Energy-
  In terms of solar heating and cooling, the Bulgarian government is planning to increase the number of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects not only for residential buildings, but also for small and medium enterprises. Two new incentive programmes have been presented over the last weeks by Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, and Delyan Dobrev, newly appointed Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism.
• 50 % Subsidy Scheme for Energy Renovation of Bulgarian Homes (ERBH)- Between July 2012 and July 2015, individual home owners and associations of flat owners in the thirty-six biggest cities in Bulgaria can apply for grants and loans to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and install renewable energy systems for solar heating and cooling. The Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works provides EUR 25 million in grants through its EU Structural Fund Operative Programme “Regional Development”. The Corporate Commercial Bank offers another EUR 6.5 million to co-finance low-interest loans. 
  
• Bulgaria: Grants and Loans for Commercial Clients- On 14 May, the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism is starting its “Energy Efficiency and Green Economy Programme” (EEGEP). It enables small and medium enterprises, which want to utilise renewable energies and energy-efficient measures such as solar heating and cooling, to apply for grants and loans in order to recover part of the investment costs.
• Austria: First Federal Incentive Programme for Solar Water Heating-

  On 17 April, Austria started its first federal incentive programme for solar water heating in the residential sector. This means that the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund now supports new private solar thermal installations with EUR 400 per system if the collector area is 5 m² or more. The total budget of the programme is EUR 5 million. It will run until 31 December 2012.
  Photo: Austria Solar/Sonnenkraft Vertriebs GmbH

• Poland: Solar Forum 2012 Debate on How to Sustain Growth Rate-

  According to the market statistics of the Institute for Renewable Energy (IEO), the total installed solar thermal collector area in Poland at the end of 2011 was 904,000 m2 (633 MWth). This is just 6.5 % of the 14 million m² (9.8 GW_th) target that the National Renewable Energy Action Plan said to reach in 2020. Speakers and participants of the 5th Solar Energy Industry Forum were now debating in mid-April on how to best sustain the growth rate and reach the ambitious target. Around 150 people attended Cracow’s one-day event organised by the IEO.
  

• 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

• Technology Options of Solar Thermal Systems in South-East Asia – Lessons learned from Thailand and Vietnam (2012)-

  This power point presentation - given by Dr Ing Christoph Menke (University of Applied Sciences, Trier) – outlines the technology options and market potential for solar thermal systems in South-East Asia. After an overview of global solar thermal technology, it outlines the potential for solar water heating in Thailand, the temperature ranges for different food industrial processes, and gives an overview of the subsidy programmes implemented between 2008 and 2011.

  These subsidies had several positive effects:

• India: Kerala State Subsidy Meets Targets-

  The new subsidy scheme in the southern Indian state of Kerala has almost reached its aims: The programme subsidised 5,000 m² of collector area in the first three months of 2012, according to the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT). As ANERT Scientist Perumpalot Valsaraj explains, the goal was to support 500 m² of solar collector systems for fish drying, as well as 5,000 m² of residential solar water heaters, of which 40 % were to be equipped with vacuum tube collectors. The photo shows Mohanan Vaisakham, one of the solar water heater owners who profited from the ANERT scheme. The incentive is paid additionally to the federal 30 % investment subsidy.
  Photo: Hykon Solar

• Middle East and North Africa Region Assessment of the Local Manufacturing Potential for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Projects -

  Commissioned by the World Bank and carried out by Ernst and Young and the Fraunhofer Institute, this report assesses the local manufacturing potential for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) components in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

• Mexico: No More Loans for Low-Pressure Solar Thermal Systems-

  Low-Pressure solar thermal systems - such as water-filled, double-glass vacuum tube collectors - are no longer eligible to receive loans from the Hipoteca Verde programme in Mexico. This is the result of changes made by the National Commission for the Efficient Use of Energy (CONUEE) to its technical specifications for solar water heaters. These recent changes, however, do not affect solar thermal systems which work at pressures of 3 bar or more.

• Tunisia: CDM to fund Solar Water Heaters-

  After three years of preparation, the first Tunisian Programme of Activities (PoAs) for solar water heating was registered successfully with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in April 2011. It is only the second African PoA focusing exclusively on solar water heaters after the “SASSA Low Pressure Solar Water Heater Programme” in South Africa, which started in March 2011.
  Photos: Biome Solar Industry

• Arizona Solar Energy and Economics Outlook (2009)-

  This report was arranged by William P. Patton, Ph. D., Economic and Business Research Center, University of Arizona. The document discusses the need for the United States to make the switch from fossil fuels to solar energy as a more reliable and environmentally sound energy source.

  A study was conducted in Arizona in order to discover the potential for solar electric generation in Arizona and also to figure out the economic and environmental impacts on the increased use of solar power.

• Solar Thermal Community Action – Canada (2008)-

  This is an action manual presented by the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) presented in 2008.

  The manual follows an agenda which starts with the solar thermal basics and applications and moves on to why solar thermal energy can succeed in Canada. It mentions the best economic choices for commercial and residential solar thermal systems and includes a solar resource assessment chart. This displays a map that is color-coded for the amount of solar radiation annually in Canada.

• Spain: Plans for a Solar Thermal Feed-in tariff for ESCOs -

  The Spanish solar thermal market again suffered from a slowdown in 2010. According to the latest market survey by the Spanish Solar Thermal Association ASIT, the 2010 market volume of 244 MWth (348,000 m²) is 14 % below the result of 2009. The light blue columns in the chart show the real sales volume in a specific year, whereas the dark blue columns stand for the targets of the Renewable Energy Plan. ASIT is fighting hard for a new incentive scheme which could bring the market back to significant growth rates and has announced its first results.
  Figure: ASIT

• Italy: Political Frame Condition Update-

  The change at the helm of government in Italy has already had some positive effects on the solar thermal sector. The tax credit extensions were confirmed earlier than in the years before. At the beginning of December, the government approved the extension until 31 December 2012 under the current conditions. If they had not done so, the tax reduction would have expired at the end of 2011. According to the current regulations – in place since January 2011 – residential customers can deduct 55 % of the investment costs from their income tax during a period of 10 years.

• Regulatory Framework for CST Promotion (2010)-

  This presentation was made during the Southern African Regional Workshop on Concentrating Solar Thermal Power that took place in Botswana in May 2010. The event was organised by the Energy Anchor (ETWEN) and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Resources of the Government of Botswana.

• Italy: Law 28 lays Foundation for Renewable Heat Feed-in Tariff- Italy is among the countries which have declared ambitious targets for the solar heating and cooling sector in its National Renewable Energy Action Plan. The administration made the first step towards reaching those aims by implementing Law Number 28, approved on 3 March (see the attached document in Italian).

  The law includes several important items with regard to the solar thermal sector:

• Schemes for Subsidizing Renewable Energy Driven Desalination (2010) -

  This report was released as part of the Project ProDes (Promotion of Renewable Energy for Water production through Desalination). The project ProDes (2008-2010) brings together 14 European organisations in order to support the market development of renewable energy desalination technology in Southern Europe.

• New and Improved Incentive Schemes in Canada - Canadians benefit from a series of improvements that the federal supporting measures for solar thermal technology brought forth. First of all, the funding for the ecoEnergy Retrofit Homes Program – a programme for residential home owners - has been increased by 300 million Canadian Dollars (CAD). The rebate for the solar thermal system of an individual family rose from CAD 500 to CAD 1,250.  
• Concentrating Solar Power: Global Outlook 09-

  This 2009 report looks into the global outlook of concentrating solar power (CSP). The report first looks into the different CSP technologies and makes a comparison based on the advantages and disadvantages. The report also provides an overview of the CSP development by region. For certain countries per region a more detailed assessment is provided. In particular, the potential of the Mediterranean and the MENA region is being assessed.

• USA: High Subsidy Level and Slow Motion in California-

  Demand for subsidised solar water heater is very different in Europe and the USA. A comparison between California and the Czech Republic shows that the growth potential is much higher in European countries. The number of applications submitted to the national subsidy programme has been 100 times as much in the Eastern European country as in the US state. The photo shows a commercial solar water heater on a multi-family apartment community in Huntington Beach, California, installed by California Solar Thermal, Inc. The 24-panel-installation was subsidised by both California Solar Initiative (CSI) - Thermal Program as well as the Federal Treasury Grant (30%) and reached a payback time of two years.
  Photo: California Solar Thermal

• Canada: Retrofit Programme Ends Earlier than Expected-

  “Effective by 1 April 2010, the ecoEnergy Retrofit – Homes Program is no longer accepting bookings for pre-retrofit evaluations” – it was this statement by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), which surprised the entire solar heating and cooling sector in Canada. The residential rebate programme had initially been intended to run over a period of four years and was expected to have sufficient funds to accept all applications until the end of March 2011.

• Great Britain: Contradictory Results from two Market Surveys-

  A recent survey of UK Solar Trade Association (STA) members has concluded that solar thermal business has dropped dramatically over the last 3 months. Since the arrival of the new UK Coalition Government, the survey found that almost 50% of solar thermal installers are reporting a 75% or greater reduction in business. New jobs are also being affected, with 65% of members considering temporarily leaving the solar thermal sector and 7% leaving permanently (find the full report attached).

• USA: Massachusetts Supports Commercial Solar Systems with up to USD 25,000-

  In Massachusetts, a new support programme for large-scale solar thermal systems has come into effect recently. Building owners can now apply for grants of up to USD 25,000 (residential and commercial systems) or even USD 30,000 (systems on public buildings) thanks to the Commonwealth Solar Hot Water Commercial Pilot Program. Pre-studies can also be funded with up to USD 10,000 – applicants have only to pay 25 % of the costs themselves and will receive the rest as a grant. The photo shows the Massachusetts State House in Boston.
  Photo: Jens Goetzke/pixelio

• USA: Solar Heating and Cooling R&D Renewed-

  
  In policy lobbying even a single sentence included in a bill is, in some cases, already a huge success. This is exactly the case for the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill that has recently passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. “The Committee supports ongoing Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) research and development activities within the Building Technologies Program”, is the key sentence in the report that accompanies the bill.

• Solar Victory in the U.S.-

  The first days of October were sunny days for the renewables in the United States. First the Senate and two days later the House of Representatives passed the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008 which extends the 30 % investment tax credits (ITC) for solar thermal systems as well as photovoltaics through 2016.

• Wisconsin: Right Place for Solar Thermal Conference-

  Solar water heater systems in the state of Wisconsin: The number of commercial systems made a big jump in 2009, whereas the market for residential systems stagnated. The photo shows a collector field on the roof of a high-school swimming pool.
  Photo: Focus on Energy

• Germany: Backlash against Solar Heating and Cooling Sector-

  Prospects for the German solar thermal industry remain gloomy. For the second time in a row, the market has shrunk significantly. The installed collector area in 2009 (1,615,000 m²) was already 23 % less than the record figure in 2008 (2,100,000 m²). In 2010, however, installation figures have again been down from last year's figures by around 20 %. “The drop in installations is hurting the industry badly, because most German collector and tank manufacturers have just invested in new production facilities, which are now running below capacity,” Helmut Jäger, Second Chairman of solar industry association BSW Solar and Managing Director of Solvis, a manufacturer and supplier of renewable heating systems, says.

• Germany: Increased Funding Levels of national Subsidy Programme -

  The up and down in the German Market Rebate Programme for Renewable Energies (MAP) continues. Just in time for the beginning of the ISH, the worldwide largest trade fair for bathroom, building, energy and climate technology in Frankfurt, Germany, the Ministry of Environment published its new conditions for the MAP subsidy programme, which covers solar thermal installations, biomass boilers and heat pumps. The new regulations came into force on the same day, the 15 March (see database of incentive programmes).
  

• Germany: Steep Decline in Collector Sales in 2010-

  The German solar thermal market decreased by 26 % in 2010. According to the solar industry association BSW-Solar and the heating industry association BDH, 1.15 million m² (805 MW) of new collector area were installed on German roofs last year. The market volume of 2010 is almost as low as the one in 2007, one year before the enormous boom in 2008. Compared to the market volume of that year, it equals a 22 % increase.
  Photo: Source: ESTIF/BSW-Solar

• Mexico: 25,000 Solar Home Project starts with Delay-

  Final agreement: André Eckermann (left), Programme Director of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and Victor Manuel Borrás Setién, head of Infonavit, shook hands during the official launch of the 25,000 solar roof programme in Mexico in the middle of June. The programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).
  Photo: GTZ

• France: Support Scheme for up to 30 Solar Heating and Cooling Systems-

  One of the successful show cases of solar cooling applications in France: The vinery in Banyuls, in the south of France, where 130 m² of vacuum tube collectors supply an absorption chiller with 52 kW cooling capacity since 1991.
  Photo: Tecsol

• Canada: Halifax to become First Solar City in Nova Scotia-

  The Canadian city of Halifax is on its way to become the first Solar City in Nova Scotia. The capital of Nova Scotia province is also the major economic centre of eastern Canada and has around 400,000 inhabitants. The regional authority, the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Council, is preparing to launch a solar pilot programme which it hopes will lead to the installation of up to 1,000 residential solar water heaters. These heaters will be financed through an annual surcharge on the property tax over the next ten years. A milestone was achieved on 15 December 2011 when the HRM Council invited tenders from solar thermal system suppliers which would like to participate in the solar pilot programme.
  Figure: Wikipedia

• California: CPUC Approves 8-Year Incentive Programme with a Budget of US$ 351 Million-

  On the 21^st of January, the Californian Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finally approved the “California Solar Initiative (CSI) – Thermal Program”. The eight-year programme has a budget of US$ 351 million and is thought to financially assist home owners and proprietors of commercial buildings who replace natural gas or electric geysers with solar water heaters (see the final decision of CPUC attached).

• Germany: Waiting for Politicians to Act-

  Since the beginning of the year, only a few solar thermal installations in Germany can still receive incentives from the German Market Rebate Programme for Renewable Energies (MAP). A new tax rebate for energy-efficient modernisation of buildings could encourage home owners to invest in solar thermal again. However, an agreement between the Federal Council and the government seems rather unlikely. The reform of the Renewable Energy Heating Law (EEWärmeG) has also made no progress.
  Photo: s.media / pixelio.de

• Renewable Energy in Malta (2007)-

  This presentation made by Antoine Riolo of Malta Resources Authority provides a general overview of the renewable energies used in Malta, including solar thermal and the existing support mechanisms to this technology. Solar thermal applications for water heating are actually the renewable energy source with higher penetration rate in the country, with an estimated capacity of 16,700kWth in 2006. Space cooling, according to the presentation, has considerable potential, but needs further improvements as to what regards the commercialisation of small units.

• SHELD Solar Thermal Rebate Program (2011)-

  This brochure was created by The Home Energy Loss Prevention Service (HELPS), which provides energy assessment services to Massachusetts customers of The Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC). It details the objectives and design of the South Hadley Electric Light Department (SHELD) solar thermal rebate program, which was created by the Massachusetts town of South Hadley. More information on solar thermal incentives can be found here.

• Understanding Federal Tax Incentives for Residential Solar Thermal Systems (2009)-

  This brochure was created by the Beckett Corporation, and explains how consumers can utilize three different tax credits in the United States to install a solar thermal hot water heating system in their home. More information on solar thermal incentives can be found here.

• California Solar Initiative Thermal Program Quarterly Progress Report (2011)-

  This is a progress report on the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal Program, covering October 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011. It was prepared by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) on behalf of the CSI Thermal Program Administrators. More information on the CSI Thermal Program and similar solar thermal incentive programs can be found here.

• Germany: “Solar Thermal Business might have a Structural Problem”-

  2011 was a better year for the German solar thermal industry than 2010, but it still has been far from a good one: Compared to the so far best year, 2008, the collector area installed in 2011 was around 40% less, although figures are still 10 % above the previous year 2010. German’s solar and heating industry associations name different reasons for the dissatisfying market development in the last three years.
  Source: BSW-Solar, BDH 

• Germany: Market Rebate Programme since 1999 with changing Regulations- Since the launch of the German Market Rebate Programme for Renewable Energies (MAP) in the summer of 1999, the programme has experienced even more adaptations of its requirements than the number of years it has been running so far. The latest in its series of changes became effective in January 2012.

• South Africa: Solardome closes SWH manufacturing facility-

  After 42 years in the business, South African solar thermal pioneer Solardome SA had to shut down its manufacturing operations at the end of last year. The name Solardome - formerly Mikado - stands for more than four decades of collector manufacturing in South Africa (see www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1346). Managing Director Tertius Lindenberg holds ESKOM’s rebate programme responsible for the trouble that his company and some other local manufacturers are in at the moment. The rebate scheme of South Africa’s main power supplier had resulted in a flood of cheap imports, which compete with local production.
  Photo: Solardome

• Solar Thermal – Direct Energy FAQ (2010)-

  This FAQ document was created by the solar energy company WePOWER and focuses on questions relating to solar thermal. The information within focuses on potential energy cost savings and environmental benefits.

• Poland: Solar Thermal Industry Disappointed with Renewable Energy Law-

  The draft of the Renewable Energy Sources Law from December 2011, which was supposed to give momentum to the solar thermal market in Poland, has drawn heavy criticism from industry officials and renewable energy organisations alike. Janusz Starościk, President of the Association of Manufacturers and Importers of Heating Appliances (SPIUG), states that, “passing the law in the current form will pose a serious threat to the solar thermal sector in Poland”.

• BEERECL: Grants and Loans for the Commercial Sector in Bulgaria-

  Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Credit Line (BEERECL) for the commercial sector is extended a second time. BEERECL will receive an additional EUR 50 million between 2009 and 2011 to reduce Bulgaria’s energy intensity, which is reportedly two times higher than the average energy intensity for an EU country. So far the programme has not enjoyed a high popularity in the solar thermal sector. Only 4 solar thermal installations are among the 126 commercial projects that have already been financed since the start of BEERECL 2004 (status March 2009).

• Bulgaria: Great Demand for Solar Thermal Credit Funds-

  On the state level, Bulgaria is lagging behind in making use of the funds provided by the EU. Only Romania ranks worse in the comparison of EU member states. But how are things going for the Bulgarian population – do they fare better than their authorities in utilising the available EU funds to improve energy efficiency in their homes? Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Bulgarian bankers about their experience when it comes to supporting Bulgarian home owners with loans and grants for energy-efficient measures. The scheme supporting solar thermal systems in residential buildings is the Bulgarian Residential Energy Efficiency Credit Line (REECL) (see database of incentive programmes). Small-size commercial projects are financed by the Bulgarian Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Credit Line (BEERECL).

• Case Study - Bexar County Adult Detention Center Annex (2012)-

  This document is a case study from CincoSolar, Inc. that showcases one of the largest evacuated tube solar thermal systems in the country. The Bexar County Adult Detention Center Annex installed 216 evacuated tube solar thermal panels and is now saving $60,000 annually in energy costs.

• India: Uttarakhand State Increases Solar Water Heater Rebate -

  The Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) has increased the rebate for residential Solar Water Heaters (SWHs) in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand to INR 100/month and 100 litres of capacity in May 2011 (see attached pdf). This is already the second increase in the subsidy’s amount: UERC first introduced the rebate in April 2005 with 50 INR/month and 100 litres of capacity and increased it to 75 INR/month and 100 litres in May 2006. The maximum capacity that a residential user can claim a subsidy for is 500 litres. However, UERC has not specified how many years solar water heater owners will actually receive the rebate.
  Photo: Jaideep Malaviya

• Switzerland: Solar Association Calls for Actions to Push Market-

  In 2011, the newly-installed collector area for hot water and space heating in Switzerland increased by around 1.5% compared to the previous year. This is the result of a recent market survey that has been conducted on behalf of the Swiss industry association Swissolar. A total of 100,000 solar thermal systems have been installed on Swiss roofs by now. But according to Swissolar, this number represents only a small fraction of the country’s solar thermal potential.
  Photo: helvetic energy

• Commonwealth Solar Hot Water Commercial Program - FAQ's (2012)-

  This document addresses the most frequently asked questions fielded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. This is intended for people who are interested in participating in the program and trying to find out how it works and what they will need to do to receive the benefits.

• Austria: Solar Foods Project Researchers Develop Tool to Optimise Processes -

  During the on-going Solar Foods project, researchers from Austria are developing software to help integrate solar heat into the food and beverage industry. The software will not only show mass and heat flows in a diagram, but also help optimise them to improve energy efficiency and find the best way to establish solar heat in this sector. The project is financed by the Austrian Klima- und Energiefonds. It started in March 2011 and will run one more year. The photo shows a typical bottling plant.
  Photo: AEE INTEC

• Solar Thermal Hot Water Systems in New York City (2011)-

  This report was written by the Community Environmental Center (CEC), which aids in the development and expansion of energy efficient infrastructure. With the support of two solar energy companies, Community Environmental Center installed 18 solar thermal water heating systems in multi-family and commercial buildings in New York City. That project prompted CEC to write this report, which provides technical and economic information on solar thermal water heating.

• China's Solar Thermal Industry: Threat or Opportunity for European Companies? (2003)-

  This is an article wrote by Li Hua from the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. Li Hua speaks about the Chinese solar thermal market and how it has experienced a fantastic growth without any government subsidies.

• REECL: Grants and Loans for Bulgarian Private Sector- Since 2005, the Residential Energy Efficiency Credit Line (REECL) 18 loans and grants for private home owners in order to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector. Solar thermal energy installations are eligible for the scheme, too. In summer 2011, REECL has been extended to now run until July 2014 (see http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/3310). The programme is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and shows a budget of EUR 40 million.
• Howard Johns Speaks About the UK Grant Schemes -

  In this interview, Howard Johns, from Southern Solar, speaks about the UK Solar Trade Association and the different grant schemes in the UK like the renewable heat incentive, the green deal, among other.

  Please visit our YouTube Channel for more Solarthermalworld.org Interviews

• Break-even Cost for Residential Solar Water Heating in the United States: Key Drivers and Sensitivities (2011)-

  This technical report was written by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). It examines the technology and economics that determine whether the cost of energy saved by a residential solar thermal hot water heating system will equal the cost of purchasing electricity or natural gas generated heat from the grid. This is known as the break-even cost.

• Spain: Governmental Decree Stops Electricity Feed-in Tariff-

  At the beginning of 2012, the new Spanish government showed its aversion to renewable energies very clearly. In Royal Decree Law 1/2012 (PDF attached) from 27 January 2012, the government announced the complete suspension of all feed-in tariffs for renewable electricity, whether the energy is produced by cogeneration, waste, photovoltaics or concentrated solar power. However, the government assured that the new legislation does not affect systems that have already been in place or have already been approved for the feed-in tariff.

• Solar Water Heaters Development in MENA Region (2009)-

  This is a presentation from Dr. Mohamad Kordab (Energy Expert of the Damascus University) during the “Solar Thermal Applications workshop” held in Syria. The event was jointly organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), regional organizations from Syria and Egypt and the German Development Cooperation (GTZ).

• Albania: 75,000 m2 of Newly Installed Collector Area-

  Alongside the government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) officially launched a solar water heater project in Albania, with its first workshop in Tirana on the 4^th of December. The project titled “Country Program of Albania under the Global Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative” aims at installing 75,000 m² of new collector area in the country and supporting sustainable market growth targeting at annual sale figures of 20,000 m² by the end of the project in 2015.

• Current Status and Perspectives of Solar Thermal in Ecuador (2011)-

  This presentation was delivered during the UNEP (United National Environment Programme) Regional Workshop jointly held with OLADE (the Latin American Energy Organization) in Chile (June 2011) in the framework of the Solar Water Heating Transformation and Strengthening Initiative. Its author is Mr. Luis Manzano from the Ecuadorian government.

• Initiative for Transforming and Strengthening the Solar Thermal Water Heating Market - the Mexican Case (2011)-

  This is a presentation done by Mr. Edgar Marin from OLADE during the UNEP (United National Environment Programme) Regional Workshop held in Chile, in June 2011, about the UN-funded project Solar Water Heating Transformation and Strengthening Initiative.

• Chile’s National Programme in the Framework of the Global SWH Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative (2011)-

  This is a presentation delivered by Programa Solar during a workshop on the use of solar thermal technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) in the framework of its cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

• Austria: Bankers and Solar Companies Exchange Opinions-

  Acquiring affordable loans for large solar thermal plants is a challenging task. On 30 January, the industry association Austria Solar organised a meeting between representatives of the banking and investment sector, engineering companies, solar companies and industrial customers for process heat. The less than a dozen attendees, many of them CEOs, gave the meticulously planned workshop its exclusive touch. According to Roger Hackstock of Austria Solar, all parties learned a lot about each other. They also agreed to work together more closely in the future.
  Figure: Thommy Weiss / pixelio.de

• Australia: Second Decline in a Row-

  The Australian solar thermal market has not actually recovered since the boom year 2009. According to the Head of the Renewable Department of Rheem Australia Pty Ltd, Chris Mundy, the total installed collector area in 2011 again decreased by around 13 % to 100,000 systems. In 2009, around 150,000 systems had found a buyer in Australia. The company is still advertising the subsidies that have been granted around the country, but these subsidies will stop in June 2012. This means that economic prospects will likely remain difficult this year.
  Source: www.solahart.com.au

• Slovakia: National Incentive Programme Stopped in November 2011 -

  The Programme for an Increased Usage of Biomass and Solar Energy in Households in Slovakia, which was launched in April 2009, has now exceeded its budget. Although applications were accepted until 30 October 2011, the Ministry of Economy had already announced on 27 October 2011 that the number of subsidy applications had overtaken the funds available for the programme. All submitted applications are going to be evaluated in order of their submission date. The map illustrates the geographical spread of the approved applications depending on the respective solar sector and is published by the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA).
  Source: www.siea.sk

• India: Rajasthan Subsidises Electricity Bill of Solar Water Heater Users-

  The Indian state of Rajasthan has strongly supported the market for solar thermal technology. Since 2004, the state in the northwest of India has had a comprehensive mandatory law for solar water heaters: Solar energy use has been an essential requirement in setting up new hospitals, sports complexes, swimming pools, hostels, barracks, hotels, industrial buildings in which hot water is needed to process the goods, as well as public buildings and residential buildings with a plot size of 500 m² and above. In 2011, the state government has also granted an indirect subsidy to residential users of Solar Water Heaters (SWH). Having come into force three months ago, the scheme allows every SWH user to receive a rebate on its electricity bill of INR 0.25 INR/kWh of electricity, capped at a maximum of INR 300 per month – independent of the age of the system.
  Photo courtesy: Jaideep Malaviya

• Kutay Ülke Speaks About Ezinç and the Turkish Market during ESTEC 2011 - This is an interview with Kutay Ülke from the company Ezinç. Ezinç is one of the main collector and storage tank producers in Turkey. Kutay Ülke speaks about the company products and training activities. He also explains the development of the Turkish solar thermal market even if there are no incentives from the government.
• The WB Clean Technology Fund. MENA Renewable Energy Program (2009)-

  This is a presentation from Mr. Mohab Hallouda (World Bank Energy Specialist) during the “MENA Energized: Regional Challenges to "Green the Power" Sector” event held in in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It was jointly organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and the Euro Mediterranean Energy Market Integration Project (MED-EMIP).

• Poland: Draft of Renewable Energy Sources Law-

  On 22 December 2011, the Polish Ministry of Economy presented the draft of a new Renewable Energy Sources Law. It includes a renewable building obligation for the private and public sector, as well as a one-time tax deduction for private solar thermal customers (in addition to the grants offered by the Polish National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, NFOŚiGW). The new regulations are thought to boost the Polish solar thermal market in the long term. At first, the RES Law was said to be introduced on July 1, 2012. However, delays in legislative procedures will most likely postpone the new regulations to later this year, so that they are going to take full effect in 2013.
  Source: Wikipedia

• Commonwealth Solar Hot Water Rebate Program (2011)-

  This report was written by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. It provides information on the goals and structure of the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 as it pertains to solar thermal hot water heating.

• Qualitative Approach for Solar Water Heaters. The Tunisian experience (2009)-

  This is a presentation delivered by Mr. Noureddine Ketari from the Tunisian Institute Aptitudes during the Regional Workshop on Standardization and Certification of Solar Water Heaters organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) in Tunisia.

• Non-Conventional Energy Sources in Colombia (2011)-

  This is the presentation of Mr. Henry Zapata from the Colombian Government during the UNEP (United National Environment Programme) Regional Workshop jointly held with OLADE (the Latin American Energy Organization) in Chile (June 2011) about the UN-funded project Solar Water Heating Transformation and Strengthening Initiative.

• South Korea: Commercial Sector Dominates-

  The commercial solar thermal market is gaining importance in South Korea. According to the Korea New and Renewable Energy Center (KNREC), only 43 % of the glazed and subsidised collector area in 2010 was installed in residential housing. The majority of systems were set up in public buildings because of a mandatory renewable law, and in social welfare facilities due to a 50 % investment subsidy. The KNREC pie chart of the collector market in 2010 adds up to 69,805 m². The statistics do not include thermosiphon systems (not subsidised by the government), as well as certain not certified types of imported vacuum tube collector systems.
  Source: KNREC

• Netherlands: Feed-in Tariff Might Help Cope with Duurzame Warmte Stop-

  Last year’s sudden stop of the incentive programme Duurzame Warmte resulted in a drawback for the Dutch solar thermal industry. Still, Arthur de Vries from Holland Solar is convinced that 2012 and 2013 will be different: Probably even within the first quarter of this year, the Netherlands is going to have its own feed-in-tariff for renewable heat. Energy performance of new and existing buildings will be tested under stricter requirements and several provinces have launched their own incentive programme. The figure shows the annual installed solar thermal capacity in the Netherlands. It has increased significantly since the start of the Duurzame Warmte programme in September 2008.
  Figure: ESTIF

• Debating the Way to a Mediterranean Solar Plan (2009)-

  This is a presentation from Dr. Albrecht Kaupp (MED-EMIP Team Leader) during the “MENA Energized: Regional Challenges to "Green the Power" Sector” event held in June in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. It was jointly organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and the Euro Mediterranean Energy Market Integration Project (MED-EMIP).

• Sweden: Increased Subsidy Budget-

  Solar roof in the Swedish city of Onsala: The increased subsidies in Sweden focus on larger collector fields – like the 220 m² plant from 2005.
  Photo: Jan-Olof Dalenbäck

• Slovakia: Successful Incentive Programme with Modified Requirements -

  Just over a year ago, on March 20 2009, Slovakia launched its first subsidy programme for solar collectors and biomass boilers: After a modification of the formal requirements and the amount of subsidies one can receive, the programme’s figures have shown a great improvement lately.
  Figure: SEA

• Netherlands’ Subsidy Programme Expands the Market-

  Since 2006, the solar thermal market in the Netherlands has enjoyed an annual growth rate of 20 – 30%. The currently biggest pieces of the pie go to glycol-drainback solar combination systems (<6 m²). The new incentive programme “Duurzame Warmte” (Sustainable Warmth programme) now offers an even greater opportunity for solar thermal installations. As Arthur de Vries, secretary of the association Holland Solar, said: “We expect this market instrument to be a decisive factor in quickly expanding the market for households.”

• Financing Your Solar Thermal System (2010)-

  This fact sheet comes from SunWater Solar, a solar thermal installation and service company based in California. The fact sheet focuses on financing options, rebates and incentives that encourage solar thermal water heating adoption, including the CSI Thermal Rebate Program in California.

• Tunisia: PROSOL Subsidises 4,000 m² of Commercial Installations -

  The “Collective Prosol Programme” in Tunisia is gaining momentum. The National Agency for Energy Conservation (ANME) started the subsidy programme for solar thermal installations in the tertiary sector back in 2008. The application rate was low at first, but 2010 became a good year for the commercial solar thermal market. At the end of that year, ANME counted a total installed and subsidised collector area of 4,000 m², including four hotel installations with together 480 m² and around 130 smaller installations under 30 m². According to ANME, grants for another 1,770 m² are still in the pipeline. And, a solar programme targeting 18 public swimming pools is also under development. The photo shows the solar installation on the Iberostar Phenicia hotel in Hammamet, at the northeast coast of Tunisia.
  Photo: Alcor

• Review of Technical Information on Renewable Heat Technologies (2011)-

  The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change commissioned this report to the consultancy AEA Technology. The report analyses the technical costs of four heating technologies: air source heat pumps (ASHP); ground source heat pumps (GSHP); solar thermal and biomass. The objective is to better understand these technologies in order to prepare the review process of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. The Renewable Heat Incentive went live in 2010 and it should be reviewed every four years.

• Brazil: New Requirements for Solar Installations on Social Housing-

  The Brazilian social housing programme 'My Home My Life' has now entered its second phase (2011/2014). Despite new rules, installing a solar water heater remains mandatory for all single-family houses whose owners have a wage lower than Brazilian Real (BRL) 1,600. The sector had to wait until 27 September for the government-owned bank CAIXA to release the technical requirements for solar thermal systems. Now, the new projects are ready to begin. Each solar water system, including installation, is subsidised with up to 2,000 BRL/residential unit. For newly built multi-family houses, the low-income solar system is optional.
  Source: EPA

• Switzerland: Solar Thermal System Funding in 5 Polish Regions -

  The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) has announced its strategy of how to support the solar thermal sector in Poland. Five Polish regions will receive a total of Swiss Franc (CHF) 55 million, mainly to subsidise solar thermal technology. Small parts of the budget, however, will also be spent on photovoltaic systems. By using their own financial and other resources, all private households and public facilities participating in these projects will have a substantial contribution in the programme's success . Seco plans to select four more solar thermal projects and provide additional funds of CHF 50 million to set them up.

• Great Britain: Industry Reactions to the RHI in Great Britain-

  The UK solar thermal industry has had several months notice that the new Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was arriving. On the 28^th November 2011 this was finally announced (see www.solarthermalworld.org/node/3191) and the industry has now had time to give its reactions, especially since the PV tariffs have almost been halved since 12 December 2011. So now solar thermal has two benefits; lower PV tariffs and a feed-in tariff for solar thermal kilowatt hours of Pound Sterling (GBP) 0.085 (EUR 0.09) for 20 years.

• The Emergence of a Regulatory Framework in the MENA Region. Perspective from the Maghreb Countries (2009)-

  This presentation was delivered by Mr. Rafik Missaoui, a Tunisian Energy expert, during the “MENA Energized: Regional Challenges to "Green the Power" Sector” event held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The event was jointly organized by the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) and the Euro Mediterranean Energy Market Integration Project (MED-EMIP).

• Thermal Regulations and Energy Performance of Buildings – the French Case (2010)-

  This is a presentation delivered by Enerplan during the “Setting up the Right Incentives to Boost Solar Thermal in Europe” webinar organized on November 30, 2010, within the framework of ProSTO project, funded through the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme.

• Estimated Hot Water System Running Costs in Victoria (2010)-

  This report was prepared by Energy Consult Ltd. for the Sustainability Victoria governmental agency’s programme. The goal of the report was to estimate the annual energy consumption, GHG emissions and energy running costs of different hot water and heat pump systems in Victoria. This study is an update of an earlier study done by the same company.

• Haryana State, India: Still a Small Market Size, Despite Great Political Efforts-

  The case study on the Northern Indian State of Haryana shows that great efforts will be needed to reach any significant increase in solar thermal market growth.
  Source: HAREDA

• Concentrating Solar Thermal Systems for Generating Electricity (2010)-

  This is a presentation from the Mexican Non-Conventional Energy Management Electric Power Research Institute aimed at describing the perspectives of using concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, and the implications stemming from this choice. It was made during the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) Electricity Workshop held in Paraguay in May 2010.

• France: Solfea Bank Finances 35,000 Loans per Year for Renewables and Energy Efficiency -

  The French utility GDF Suez was the main sponsor of Estec 2011 in Marseille. Its subsidiary Banque Solfea is specialized on loans concerning renewable energies. CEO Dominique-Geneviève Rougier introduced the industrial bank within a presentation, and explained services and portfolio in the course of an interview with solarthermalwolrd.org. In three years Banque Soltea intends to reach an outstanding discounted bills of EUR 1 billion in the field of efficiency measures and renewable energies.
  Photo: Banque Solfea

• Australia: Victoria runs Solar Hot Water Rebate programme -

  Since the 14^th June, 2008 the Victorian Government runs the Solar Hot Water Rebate programme, administered by Sustainability Victoria, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for water heating in the private sector which accounts for around 20 % of a household's greenhouse gas emissions in the state. The incentive programme assists regional and metropolitan Victorian households to switch their existing electric or gas hot water system to solar.

  The guidelines of the programme have been revised at 1 July 2011 and the amount of subsidies is reduced since then.