market development

• Mexico: Procalsol Programme Ends this Year -

  The programme Procalsol that started in 2007 will end in December 2012. It has been Mexico’s first long-term scheme to support solar water heating. Experts disagree on whether the end of Procalsol will influence the solar thermal market in the country. In addition, it is not only the Procalsol’s end which makes predictions difficult: This July, the Mexicans will elect a new president, who will take over in December. The chart shows that the annual installed collector area has lagged behind Procalsol’s plans since 2009. Around 30 % of the installed collector area in the chart above include unglazed swimming pool absorbers.
  Source: Solar Heat Worldwide, Anes, manufacturer`s information

• Solar Heat Worldwide - Markets and Contribution to Energy Supply 2010 (2012)-

  This report has been written by Werner Weiss and Franz Mauthner in contribution to the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC). It documents the solar thermal capacity installed in 55 countries, and ascertains the contribution of solar thermal systems to the supply of energy and the CO¬2 emissions avoided as a result of operating these systems.

• 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.

• Turkey: Vacuum Tubes on the Rise-

  Vacuum tube technology is gaining influence on the Turkish market. Between 2007 and 2011, the share of vacuum tubes among the total newly installed collector area in the country increased from 4 to 28 %, according to the market statistics of Hakan Alas, General Manager of Ezinç Metal. Solarthermalworld.org spoke to the manager of the largest solar thermal manufacturer in the country and asked him about the market research he has been carrying out since 2000, as well as his thoughts of the latest developments in the market.
  Source: Ezinç Metal

• Poland: Tremendous Growth in 2011 -

  Last year, the Polish solar thermal market exceeded all expectations: While Poland became one of the fastest growing markets in Europe, the installed collector area grew by 70 % to 248,000 m² (174 MW_th), according to Aneta Więcka, solar thermal market expert at the Institute for Renewable Energy (IEO).

• Argentina: ASADES’ Network for Solar Energy-

  Non-profit organisation ASADES has been promoting renewable energies in Argentina for 35 years. Nowadays, it is coordinating the efforts of the participating groups. Just recently, it has also launched a monthly newsletter. Solarthermalworld.org sat down with ASADES’ President Adolfo A. Iriarte to talk about the organisation’s work.

• “If you start in the solar thermal market today, you’ll be big in 2 or 3 years”-

  Hongzhi Cheng is Deputy Secretary-General at the China Solar Thermal Industry Federation (CSTIF), based in Beijing, and Head of the company The Sun’s Vision, located in Dezhou, Shandong province. He has had more than 15 years of experience in the solar thermal sector - first in the industry, and with The Sun’s Vision since 2006. His team, which consists of thirty people, has been responsible for a number of publications: books, a monthly magazine and the websites www.21tyn.com and www.CSTIF.com. The Sun’s Vision carries out the annual market survey of the Chinese solar thermal market. Solarthermalworld.org met Hongzhi Cheng in his office in Dezhou.
  Photo: Bärbel Epp

• 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: 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:

• USA: Slowdown in 2009 while Imports go up-

  Slowdown in the US: After the 2008 peak, the total sold area of medium temperature collectors decreased by 5 % in 2009, to 204,700 m². Exports amounted to only 2,100 m² of collector area, which means that the newly installed collector area in the United States in 2009 adds up to a total of 202,500 m².
  Source: Energy Information Administration

• 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).

• 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

• 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

• India: ESCO Model gives Hope as Market Driver -

  Spanish-headquartered consultancy Mercados Energy Markets India (Mercados EMI) Pvt. Ltd. has carried out a study to establish a clear understanding of the Energy Service Company (ESCO) model for delivering customers with solar hot water. The assessment was conducted in the four cities seen on the map.
  Figure: Mercados EMI

• India: Solar Thermal Manufacturing Industry to Grow Further-

  The dynamic market growth in India has produced an entire row of successful manufacturers of absorber coatings over the last few years, including Bhagyanagar India Ltd and Maharaja Techno Chromes. Both companies use the Nalsun Black Chrome Coating technology and also sell complete absorber fins to collector producers. The photo shows the fin coating process at Maharaja Techno Chromes.
  Photo: Maharaja Techno Chromes

• 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: 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

• Poland: “Wind of change” blowing for Solar Thermal-

  While in most of Europe the solar heating and cooling market has been suffering from a decline in sales since 2009, Poland has experienced a slight growth in its national industry. According to data gathered by ESTIF (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation), Poland was the 8^th largest market for solar collectors in 2010. It has not had significant lows in newly installed collector area since 2000, but still needs a big jump forward to reach the target of 20 million m² in 2020 (see chart). Solarthermalworld.org talked to Janusz Starościk, head of the Polish heating organisation SPIUG, which has made the push for solar energy part of its agenda.
  Source: IEO EC BREC

• 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

• 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 

• 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

• 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

• 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
• 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.

• Initial Market Assessment Report North Africa & Middle East (2011)-

  This report is one of the deliverables of the “Global Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative” project, initiated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Copper Association.

• Solar Water Heating Market Assessment. Regional Report (2012)-

  This report is a deliverable of the “Global Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative”, jointly funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)and the International Copper Association. In Latin America the commitment for SWH deployment has been supported by the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE).

• 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

• China: Industry Increased Export Business 12-fold-

  Within 6 years, the Chinese solar thermal industry increased its export business 12-fold, from USD 20 million in 2005 to USD 250 million in 2010. In 2011, the newly installed collector area in China has jumped up another 18 % to 57.6 million m2 (40.3 GW_th). Putting the focus on solar technology has proven to be the right step: Nowadays, significantly more new solar water heaters are being installed per year than gas or electric water heaters (see chart). These and other market figures were presented by the retired head of the China Solar Thermal Industry Federation (CSTIF), Zhentao Luo, during the IEA SHC roadmap workshop in Beijing in November 2011 (see attached presentation in Chinese).
  Source: CSTIF/CREIA

• 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).

• 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.

• 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

• Tunisian Norms and the SWH Testing Procedures (2009)-

  This is a presentation delivered by Mr. Rafik Zaiane a Tunisian ministry official, 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.

• Bulgaria: New Manufacturer notice Up and Down on the Market-

  The city of Shumen in the northeast of Bulgaria is becoming the centre of the national solar thermal industry. Right next to already established solar system manufacturer New Energy Systems, Bulgarian company Tesy has built up a solar tank and collector production unit last year. The company invested EUR 5 million for the new building and machinery.
  Photo: Tesy

• 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

• 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

• 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.”

• 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 Power: Its Potential Contribution to a Sustainable Energy Future (2011)-

• Solar Heat Worldwide. Markets and Contribution to the Energy Supply (2011)-

  This report was prepared within the framework of the Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) as an update of the one issued in 2009. The report documents the solar thermal capacity installed in the important markets worldwide and its contribution in terms of supply of energy and CO2 emissions reduction. Documented collectors comprise unglazed collectors, glazed flat-plate and evacuated tube collectors with water as the energy carrier, as well as glazed and unglazed air collectors.

• Swiss Bank Sarasin: World Market Reaches 45 GWth in 2011 -

  This week, the Swiss Bank Sarasin published the 12^th edition of their solar industry report, covering all three solar technologies: solar heating and cooling (ST), photovoltaics (PV), and concentrating solar power (CSP). The chapter on solar thermal identifies great differences in the market development of national markets and regions. While the Chinese market continues to shine, many European countries are suffering from decreasing or stagnating markets. Nevertheless, Sarasin predicts a great future, with a global average growth of 12% per year until 2020.

• 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

• The Potential of Solar Thermal Technologies in a Sustainable Energy Future (2010)-

  This study is a deliverable of the IEA Solar Heating & Cooling Programme. Based on the previous studies and results from international R&D cooperation, the declared goal is to present the opportunities linked to solar thermal technologies given their positioning as the fourth largest renewable source of energy.

• Poland: Growing Demand to fund Solar Thermal Systems- By 15 October 2011, a total of 11,386 applications have been submitted by banks within the residential subsidy programme of the Polish National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW). The monthly application rate has increased tremendously - from 15 applications in the starting month September 2010 to 1,658 in September 2011 almost one year later. The figure from October 2011 in the chart above represents only half the month, which means this year’s total collector area can be expected to climb even steeper.
  Source: NFOŚiGW
  
• 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.

• Canada: Solar Air Heating is strongest Sector -

  2010 was a good year for the solar thermal industry in Canada. The total newly installed collector area (brown line) grew by 54 %, from 129,418 to 199,491 m². Air collector sales (red line) doubled and - for the first - overtook the solar swimming pool market (blue line), which is more or less stagnating. With 150 %, the segment of glazed solar water collectors (pink line) experienced the highest growth, although the 20,000 m² sold in 2010 make it still a low-level market.
  Source: NRCan

• Argentina: Solar Water Heaters for Rural Schools-

  In Argentina, Jorge Follari of Innovar SRL observes a rising interest in solar thermal energy. The federal and the province governments support the installation of solar water heaters in rural schools, and the interest of private customers grows, too – especially in the northern provinces, such as Corrientes, Salta, Tucumán, San Luis, Santa Fe and Catamarca. Compared to the commonly used gas bottles, a solar system pays off in 2 to 3.5 years. On the other hand, gas and electricity are highly subsidised.
  Map: Wikipedia Commons/Bleff

• Switzerland: Jenni Energietechnik AG expands Production Capacity-

  Orders for large solar storage tanks are on the rise: Swiss Jenni Energietechnik AG is currently expanding its production capacity to meet the greatly increased demand. At its Oberburg headquarters, the solar company is constructing a new building for the manufacturing of large storage tanks. According to CEO Josef Jenni, the additional facility will enable the company to produce five times as much as before.
  Photo: Jenni Energietechnik AG

• Ireland: Solar Thermal Market takes a Nosedive-

  The Kingspan Breffni Park Stadium in County Cavan, Ireland, has profited from its vacuum tube collector installation since August 2010. The solar combi system by Irish company Kingspan Renewables provides solar-heated water for the showers and the heating system of the player’s sanitary facilities. 30 % of the EUR 35,000 solar investment came from a subsidy by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), granted under its Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (ReHeat).
  Photo: Kingspan Renewables

• Russia: Krasnodar Krai may become Centre of Solar Industry -

  Russian solar thermal system supplier Yuzhgeoteplo is planning to build a new solar collector factory, according to an interview by Russian business paper Delovaya Gazeta Ug with the company’s General Director Vitaly Butuzov. The company is located in Krasnodar Krai, one of Russia’s largest south-west regions at the coast of the Black Sea. The total investment volume is said to be about Russian Rouble (RUB) 52 million (USD 1.7 million). Construction will most likely begin in 2012.
  Source: http://www.welt-atlas.de

• Austria: Solar Thermal Market on the Verge of Collapse in one Province-

  In the Austrian province Lower Austria, the cut of direct incentives has led to an almost total collapse of the market for solar thermal systems. The industry association Austria Solar estimates that instead of 6,000 systems as in 2010, only 1,700 new systems are going to be installed in Lower Austria this year. Even worse, the oil industry has set up its own incentive programme for oil heating.
  Source: Foto Wilke

• Poland: Rapid Growth in 2011-

  The stagnation in the Polish solar thermal market in 2010 seems already ancient history: The Polish Institute of Renewable Energy - EC BREC (IEO) - expects the solar thermal market to grow by one third this year. “We estimate that up to 200,000 m² of solar collectors will be installed in Poland in 2011,” IEO President Grzegorz Wiśniewski (right) says. One reason for the upward trend is that the residential subsidy programme by NFOŚiGW has been gaining momentum. “At the beginning, the programme was subject to many limitations. It did not allow grants for collector systems in new homes and those generating energy for home heating systems,” Janusz Starościk (left), Head of the Association of Manufacturers and Importers of Heating Appliances (SPIUG), explains. “These barriers were removed in January 2011, which greatly increased people's interest in the programme”.
  Photo: APIHE/IEO

• 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.

• 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.

• Macedonia: "Electricity more important than Heat"-

  In Macedonia, a solar system has just been installed on the roof of a primary school. The system, which will provide power for lighting and the school computers, is at least a small step towards establishing solar energy in the country - but unfortunately, only in the direction of electricity production. In terms of heating and cooling, there is not much to present in the former Yugoslavian country in the southeast of Europe, although climatic conditions are great. Solarthermalworld.org talked to Sanja Popovska-Vasilevska, Vice President of the solar association Solar Macedonia, about the situation of solar thermal in her country.
  Source: Wikimedia Commons

• Poland: various commercial Grant Programmes -

  By the end of 2010, the total surface area of solar collectors in Poland reached 655,000 m². Newly installed collector area amounted to 146,000 m², roughly 2,000 m² more than in 2009. Over the next years, the number of new solar thermal installations is thought to increase significantly because of various grants at the national and local level: The local incentive programme in Szczawnica in southern Poland has already helped in setting up more than 1,500 collectors in households (see photo).
  Photo: szczawnica.pl

• Solar Cooling Market to experience big Changes-

  According to Dr Uli Jakob, Vice President of the “Green Chiller - Association for Sorption Cooling”, the solar cooling sector may soon experience a shift from small series production of a niche market to considerable manufacturing quantities. Jakob points out two signs supporting such a development: First, the approval of the IEA-SHC task 48, “Quality Assurance and Support Measures for Solar Cooling“; second, the recent market entry of big players, such as Stiebel Eltron (Germany) and Hitachi (Japan).
  Photo: Bärbel Epp

• Argentina: Market Situation and Barrier Analysis -

  Björn Nienborg, researcher at the German institute Fraunhofer ISE, has carried out a survey among solar collector manufacturers and importers in Argentina as part of his Master's study “Renewable Energy Management” at the University of Freiburg. His recently published “Solar Thermal Water Heaters in Argentina” gives a status report on the Argentine solar thermal market, as well as its manufacturers and suppliers. It is available as a detailed version in Spanish and a shorter one in English. The photo shows a 20 m² thermosiphon installations on the roof of a seminary in San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina.
  Photo: Björn Nienborg

• Italy: Tax Credits extended but under worse Conditions-

  Photovoltaic and solar thermal systems competing for roof space in Italy's residential sector: Solar electricity is booming, and the 55 % tax reduction for solar thermal installations was just extended for another 12 months. However, the conditions for it will not be as favourable as this year.
  Photo: G.M.P. engineering

• “There has been a Lot of Market Turmoil in Australia”-

  Solarthermalworld wanted to investigate why the Australian Government decided to discontinue its Solar Water Heater Rebate Programme and conducted an interview with Stephen Cranch, Sales and Marketing Manager of Solahart Industries Pty Ltd Australia.
  Photo: Solahart

• Germany: Disparity between Photovoltaic and Solar Heating and Cooling increases-

  In Germany, the disparity between the photovoltaic market on the one side and the solar heating and cooling market on the other is increasing. “Whereas in 2004, the turnover of the PV sector with EUR 1.2 billion was twice as high as the turnover of the solar thermal industry, it rose to ten times the revenues of the solar heating and cooling sector last year,” Joachim Berner, journalist and solar thermal expert, argues in an article in Sonne Wind & Wärme.. In absolute figures: EUR 1.2 billion of solar heating and cooling versus EUR 11 billion of photovoltaics.
  Figure: Schüco

• Slow down after Boom in Germany?-

  The crises of the financial markets did not seem to harm the speedy growth of the solar thermal market in Germany. Industry insiders at the conference Forum Solarpraxis in Berlin on the 20^th/21^st November agreed that the collector area installed in Germany will reach 1.7 to 1.9 million m² (1.2 to 1.3 GW). This is almost a doubling of the 2007 market volume of 950,000 m² (665 MW).

• Challenge of the world market: “Europe is stuck with high installation costs” -

  “Competition on price” was one of the key questions of the panel discussion at the international conference SMEthermal 2011 in Berlin on 10 February. Representatives from the major solar thermal markets worldwide discussed the challenges of the world market among them (left to right): Hakan Alas, General Manager, Ezinç Metal (Turkey), Michael Hsu, CEO, Sunshore Solar Energy – Business Development Central Europe (Austria/China) and Lucio Mesquita, Managing Director, Thermosol Consulting (Canada/Brazil). SMEthermal is an annual one-day conference dedicated exclusively to manufacturing of collectors and tanks, new materials and process optimisation. There were 160 participants from 22 different at the event.
  Photo: Solarpraxis AG / Therese Aufschlager

• “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

• Spanish Collector Manufacturers expand Exports or abandon Production-

  The solar thermal industry in Spain is suffering from the country's crises in the construction and financial sector. The falling demand is driving some domestic manufacturers to expand their export business. Others have given up their manufacturing activities altogether. The map shows a selection of flat plate collector manufacturers from Spain. It is part of the Europe map of 2010's solar thermal industry published in the December issue of the international magazine Sun & Wind Energy (S&WE). Source: S&WE

• The Rising Sun. Point of View on Solar Energy Sector in India (2011)-

  This report, published by KPMG, an Indian research company, passes in review the Indian solar market in terms of technologies and applications (PV, solar power, solar water and heating, etc), barriers and drivers, grid issues, legislation and tax incentives.

• Mexico: Great goals partially met-

  Mexico is known for its great numbers and plans which are not always fully met. Although some “great goals were only partially met”, the solar thermal market has grown substantially in recent years, mainly because of the booming building sector. The photo shows one of the newly constructed housing areas in the city of Zumpango near Mexico City, with 150 litre thermosiphon systems on each roof and a total of 1,100 systems.
  Photo: GIZ / Marco Lemus

• New Technologies in Spain (2009)-

  This document was prepared by Technology Review. It provides an idea of the evolution cycle of solar industry (PV and thermal) since its early ages in both Spain and USA. The analysis focuses on technologies, production and storage capacities, investment costs and legal framework conditions. The document mentions as well projects currently in the making which allow understanding the progress made in terms of technologies, legal framework, payback time, installed capacity and the prospects for the Spanish solar industry.

• 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

• Long-term Trend in Austria: Combi Systems in retrofitted Houses -

  Austrian flat plate collector manufacturers may smile again: Last year's decline seems to have been overcome. A quarterly anonymous survey carried out by an Austrian accounting company among 25 members of the solar thermal industry association Austria Solar (representing 75 % of the total market volume) showed an increase in sales of 22 % in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the previous weak year. The annual market statistics carried out by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) also show several other interesting trends, such as the one towards combi systems (see figure).
  Figure: BMVIT/Austria Solar

• India: Huge Effect of Print Media Publicity on Market Development -

  The last 5 years have seen a strong growth in India's solar thermal market. While adverts in television, the radio, as well as the print media are all very popular forms of raising public awareness in India, thanks to the growing literacy rate, newspaper advertisement was found to be the most effective channel to disseminate information about the solar thermal sector. Some states, such as Maharashtra, put up advert hoardings at prominent places in large cities. The poster seen in the photo lists the registered manufacturers, including their contact number.
  Photo: Jaideep Malaviya

• Germany: Uncertain Market Development in 2011 -

  Signs of a recovering market are hard to come by when looking at the official German market statistics: The figures of the solar industry association BSW Solar and the heating industry association BDH (BDH/BSI statistics) show only a very small increase of 4.3 % during the first three months of the year, compared to 2010 which was a weak year. The chart, which was part of a presentation by the Managing Director of BSW-Solar during the German conference “Symposium Solar Energy” in the middle of May, shows the collector area that is sold each month on the German market. Its figures are based on an anonymous, monthly survey verified by a notary. The grey line represents the start of this year, with a sold area of 162,900 m² of collector area in three months.
  Figure: BSW-Solar

• Morocco: “The national market offers huge, but insufficiently exploited potential”-

  Morocco aims high when it comes to employing solar technology: According to the Moroccan Plan for Solar Energy launched in November 2009, the total installed collector area is said to raise from 280,000 m² in 2010 to 1.7 million m² in 2020. Because the long-term support programme PROMASOL ran out at the end of 2009, a set of new measures are now being discussed and implemented. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Said Mouline, Director of the National Agency for the Development of Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (ADEREE), about the progress of and support mechanisms for the solar thermal market in Morocco.
  Photo: ADEREE

• Solar Water Heaters – Markets and New Developments (1996)-

  This paper was prepared by Graham L. Morrison from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia The paper provides an overview of the international and Australian solar water heating markets, focusing on promotional programmes to encourage the adoption of such products.

• 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.

• Germany: Solar Thermal Sector Layoffs-

  The market slump in Germany in 2010 brought problems for the solar thermal sector. Three examples show that the entire value chain is affected: From manufacturers to system suppliers and installers.

• Hawaii: Is the Strongest Solar Thermal Market in the US in Trouble?-

  After being the strongest U.S. market for solar thermal for many years, Hawaii currently has to cope with a falling demand for solar thermal installations. According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight report for the third quarter of US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and GMT Research, Hawaii has dropped behind California on second position. Solarthermalworld.org asked Mark Duda, President of the Hawaiian Solar Energy Association, about the background of this development.

• Solar Thermal System in Buildings in Japan (2008)-

  This presentation was made by Mr Mitsuhiro Udagawa, Professor at the Kogakuin University in Tokyo, Japan, during the Asian Workshop on Energy and Environmental Technologies which took place in 2008. The presentation includes many visuals showing the evolution of solar thermal system installations in households and other buildings in Japan over the years (1974, 1985, 1999). It is possible to see the evolution of both technology and design.

• „Solar thermal systems are used to improve the coefficient of performance of the heat pump”-

  Has observed the German solar thermal market for decades: Graduate engineer Dietmar Lange had, for many years, been Technical Director at various German collector manufacturers and solar thermal system providers until he became a freelance consultant two years ago. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with him about the technological trends and political developments on the largest European market.

• Current Status of Solar Energy Use in Peru (2007)-

  This short essay, written by Manfred Horn, explores the current status of solar energy use in Peru, both PV and thermal. Solar energy debuted in Peru in the seventies and was used at this time mostly in universities and state organisations working towards the development of new technologies. The document reports that PV has increased its market penetration in the last years. Solar water heaters is the oldest green technology in Peru and is still very successful.

• Solar Thermal Energy in Argentina (2009)-

  This report has been arranged by the TECH4DCM project which is financed by the European Union (EU) FP6 (Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development). This EU Project focuses on promoting solar thermal energy and is being carried out in five countries; Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. The project’s primary goal is the promotion of renewable and efficient energy technologies, paying special attention to overcoming technological barriers

• Residential Incentive Programme in Malta revised - Thermosiphon system in Malta: Since the beginning of 2010, the incentive programme for domestic solar water heaters on the Mediterranean Island of Malta has had new frame conditions in place. The government hopes to invite a stronger response with its new scheme than it achieved with the one in 2009.
• Mexico: Vacuum tubes in 48 % of residential Solar Water Heaters -

  The marketing campaign for solar hot water systems in the residential sector in Mexico, Procalsol (2007 to 2012), bore fruit: According to the annual market statistics of the National Association of Solar Energy (ANES), the newly installed collector area in households almost tripled from 53,183 m² in 2008 to 132,934 m² last year.

• Canada: Ups and Downs in different Application Areas -

  After experiencing high growth in 2008, Canada’s solar thermal industry had to cope with mixed results in 2009. The Survey of Active Solar Thermal Collectors, Industry and Markets in Canada (2009), conducted by Natural Resources Canada in the period from December 2009 to March 2010, shows that only the manufacturers of air collectors were able to increase their sold collector area. The chart illustrates how domestic solar collector sales in Canada have developed over the past 10 years.
  Source: Natural Resources Canada

• „Vietnam is a purely commercial market with no subsidies“-

  Danish company Sunmark A/S has run a collector factory in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, since 2006. Over the years, the factory has been expanded to 14,000 m² and is currently employing 100 people. Most of the collector production output, an integral part of every Sunmark turnkey energy solution, is shipped back to Europe. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with Hans Grydehøj, CEO and one of the two founders and owners of Sunmark, about market development in Vietnam and Denmark.

• USA: “Growing the SWH market requires long-term support”-

  Lisa Frantzis, Managing Director for Renewable and Distributed Energy at Navigant Consulting, has recently completed a study on the history, system types and supply chain of the solar thermal industry. She shared her findings with the participants of the Solar Thermal ’10, the second National Solar Heating and Cooling Conference, which took place in Milwaukee on 30 September and 1 October 2010. In her presentation, Frantzis analysed the US market and gave advice on how to develop a solar manufacturing sector in Milwaukee. The US state's largest city , Wisconsin, is one of 25 solar cities, which receive funding from the US Department of Energy to promote the use of solar technology in their communities (see http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1419).
  Photo: Navigant Consulting

• Great Britain: Drafting of NREAP without consulting the Public or Stakeholders-

  Great Britain is a country with a fair number of governmental initiatives intended to save carbon emissions. Two major documents are the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) published in July 2009, which cover all industries and renewable technologies. There is no doubt about the country taking its responsibility of reducing greenhouse gas emissions seriously, with RES 2020 targets calling for a reduction of 15 % in such emissions.

• Poland: Downwind for the Solar Thermal Market- Commercial applications are on the rise in Poland: “Big building societies, hotels and hospitals are investing in solar thermal systems,” confirms export manager Jacek Paluch of the collector manufacturer Watt. Photo: Watt
  

• 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

• India: US-India Business Council creates Solar Task Force -

  Chairwoman of the newly founded Solar Power Task Force in India: Aparna Doshi, Chief Operating Officer of India-headquartered Astonfield, a renewable energy facilitator. She shares the post with Bryan Ashley, Chief Marketing Officer at US-based photovoltaic manufacturer Suniva.
  Photo: Energy Independence & Global Warming
  
  

• Brazil: “Solar Water Heaters will become a culture”-

  Carlos F. C. Faria is the founder of Brazilian consultancy Studio Equinócio - SE and former director of the Brazilian solar industry association ABRAVA. Studio Equinócio is dedicated to the development of solar energy in Brazil. The company works in partnership with industries, associations, banks, local governments and energy utilities to establish a solar energy network in Latin America. At the Eurosun 2010, solarthermalworld.org spoke with Carlos Faria about what drives the market in Brazil.
  Photo: Eurosun
  
  

• Trans-Solar: Knowledge Transfer to 7 CEE Partner Countries -

  After running for 26 months, the European Trans-Solar project finally ended in January 2010. Its aim had been to transfer solar thermal know-how from the old EU Member States to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
  Source: www.cres.gr/trans-solar/

• “Hot water demand of 120 litres per day per person”-

  Being a solar consultant, Johannes Waimer is advising the only solar water heater manufacturer in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai-based Premier Solar Technologies Inc. Twenty years ago, he developed an Integrated Storage Collector (ISC), which is still being manufactured today, in Premier Solar's factory in Dubai Investment Park. Solarthermalworld.org spoke with him about the pros and cons of solar heating and cooling throughout the region.
  Photo: Premier Solar Technologies

• Slovakia: Thermosolar doubles Production Capacity - Solar exterior with collectors produced in Slovakia: The company Thermosolar has just recently invested EUR 1.5 million in upgrading the machinery in its factory in Žiar nad Hronom, in order to increase productivity and reach a manufacturing capacity of 500,000 m² per year.
  Photo: Thermosolar
  
  
• Brazil: South-East dominates Solar Thermal Market-

   Steeply uphill points the chart about the development of the solar thermal sector in Brazil. Even in the economically difficult year of 2009, the area of installed collectors increased by 19 % to 798,000 m². Two-thirds of the installations were set up in the four states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo, all located in the south-east of the country. Source: Dasol

• France: Dissatisfying Market Development in 2009-

  Collective systems are on the rise in France: This photo shows the youth hostel of the Association Logis des Jeunes de Provence in the city of Cannes in the South of France. Photo: Enerplan

• Solar Thermal Energy in Chile (2010)-

  This report has been arranged by the TECH4DCM (2008-2009) project which is financed by FP6 (European Union Sixth Framework Programme). This EU Project focuses on promoting solar thermal energy and is being carried out in five countries: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. The project’s primary goal is the promotion of renewable and efficient energy technologies, paying special attention to overcoming technological barriers.

• Record Year 2008: Global Market Growth of 35 %-

  In 2008, the global solar thermal market grew by a significant 35%. The main reasons behind such a strong upward trend were the high growth rates of glazed water collectors in China (+35 %), Europe (+63 %) and North America (+42 %). Graphic: AEE Intec