Canada

• Solar Thermal Applications (2012)-

  This presentation was created by Bob Swartman of Solcan, a solar energy company based in Canada. It provides information on various uses of solar thermal energy and includes a few case studies and examples.

• The Canadian Solar Thermal Hot Water Industry (2010)-

  This presentation was created by Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA). It provides information on the current state of the Canadian Solar Thermal Hot Water Industry and lays out a roadmap for even further development and advancement of the industry.

• Drake Landing Solar Community (2011)-

  This case study was created by Enermodal Engineering. It provides an overview of the Drake Landing Solar Community in Canada, and takes a look at various aspects and benefits of the installations there.

  The Solar Community features 52 house subdivisions, incorporating single-detached, two-story homes. It is the first district system in the world 90% solar fraction, produced by 800 flat-plate glazed collectors. The house heating uses solar heat directly without heat pumps for temperature increase.

  Author: Enermodal Engineering

• 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.

• 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

• 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.  
• 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.

• MEDA Limited- Thank you very much for allowing me to introduce myself and my organization. MEDA, is a quality contract and direct placement organization that specializes in Energy Municipal Services, Civil, Government, Engineering, Information Technology, Finance and Project Management. There are several divisions of our organization throughout the United States and Canada which include, MEDA Limited, MEDA Technical Services Group, MEDA E-Quality, and MEDA Engineering and Technical Services, LLC.
• 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

• Solar Thermal Collectors and Thermal Storage (2009)-

  This presentation was created by Dr. Cynthia A. Cruickshank of Carleton University, and was first presented at the “Montreal Ph.D. Summer Workshop on Net-Zero Energy Solar Buildings: Theory, Modeling and Design”. The presentation focuses on applications of solar thermal, collectors, and storage systems.

• The Project Proposal of Solar Water Heating System for Markham, Ontario (2009)-

  This presentation was created by Globe Solar Energy, Inc. In 2007, Globe Solar Energy became the solar thermal water heating technology and system provider for the West Toronto Initiative for Solar Energy program (WISE). This document provides information on the company’s involvement with that program, as well as the Solar BC program and the Halton Residential Solar Project.

• Getting into Hot Water in the United States: The Case of EnerWorks (2011)-

  This case study was written by Ryan Walter of Ryerson University and was published by the Entrepreneurial Practice Review. It is a business case study on the beginnings of the expansion of Canadian based solar thermal hot water heating company EnerWorks.

• Solar Heating Entry Level Learning Objectives (2011)-

  This following is a document from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) that lays out potential “Learning Objectives” for an entry level solar thermal installer certification course. The document identifies 6 main areas of learning, and gives an outline on how to possible grade an exam based on these criteria.

• Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems – Engineering Handbook for Canada (2011)-

  This installation guide was written by Brian Bot of Solar Supply Canada. It was written for residential use in Canada.

• Solar Heating with Seasonal Storage Canadian Activities (2011)-

  This report was created by the Canadian energy research institute CanMET Energy. It is a case study of the Drake Landing Solar Community, and the solar thermal seasonal heat storage system that was tested there.

• Build a Solar Thermal Direct-Air Heater (2010)-

  This paper is a step-by-step instruction manual on how to make your own direct-air solar thermal collector for any small room or facility.

  Utilizing the basic physics of heat collection and integrating affordable materials, this brief can be used by any do-it-yourselfer who is interested in cutting back on heating costs. Photos are provided to give the reader a visual guide to the process and to explain the physics of how solar thermal works. This can be used as a tool to raise awareness for people who may not be completely convinced of solar thermal’s capabilities.

• 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

• Canada/Denmark: Cooperation between Enerconcept and Solarventi-

  Canadian air collector manufacturer Enerconcept uses Danish know-how for the industrial version of its Luba collectors. On 1 July, CEO Christian Vachon (left) entered into an agreement with the owner of Danish company Solarventi, Hans Jørgen Christensen, allowing Enerconcept to use an air collector patent of the Scandinavians. The innovative technology has already been implemented in a major project in Quebec City.
  Photo: Stephanie Banse

• Solar Water Heating for the Hospitality Industry (2003)-

  This case study was written by the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA). It examines the case of Penticton's Hostel in British Columbia, Canada, which installed solar water heating for its hospitality operations.

• Denmark: Solar District Heating Capacity increases 5-fold -

  Solar heat is penetrating Denmark’s district heating networks at an unprecedented rate: Around 90,000m² of collector area (63 MW_th) are going to be connected to the country’s networks in 2011. The map shows the existing and planned solar district heating systems in Denmark, including the installed or planned collector area. The Danish consulting and engineering company PlanEnergi was responsible of drafting the map in the framework of Task 45 “Large Solar Heating/Cooling Systems, Seasonal Storage, Heat Pumps”. The task was started in January 2011 by the International Energy Agency’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC), which will run until December 2013.
  Source: PlanEnergi

• Canada: District Heating with 90 % Solar Fraction-

  As Bruce Sibbitt, Engineer at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), announced during his presentation at the Solar World Congress in Kassel, Germany, in September, the solar district heating system at the Drake Landing Solar Community has - in its fourth year in operation - almost reached the planned solar fraction of 90 %. In addition to borehole heat storage of 34,000 m³, the system is equipped with two short-term storage tanks, which have a capacity of 120 m³ of water each.
  Photo: Natural Resources Canada

• Solar Air Heating for Municipal Facilities (2003)-

  This case study focuses on the City of Toronto Vehicle Maintenance Garage and their switch to a solar thermal air heating system.

  The garage hosts the town’s garbage trucks and other work vehicles, so there was a need to both ensure airflow, and because of the cold temperatures of Toronto, ensure reliable heat. So the town installed three solar heated fans that provide the interior of the garage with a steady stream of fresh air that has been heated by the sun.

  Document available in both French and English.

• CanSIA Solar Canada 2011, Toronto- The Trade Show and conference CanSIA Solar Canada 2011 takes place from 5 to 6 December 2011 in Toronto, Canada. The conference will include industry and technical updates, government activities (all levels), R&D and attracting investors. It is designed especially for solar industry members, government representatives, NGOs, utilities, financial community members, architects, developers, builders, dealers, installers and anyone else interested learning more about the Canadian solar PV and solar thermal industry.
• Case Study: Solar Air Heating for Residential Space Heating (2004)-

  This brochure is a case study of how a single family home utilized a solar thermal system for air heating purposes.

  The thermal system works by circulating heated air throughout the house with a fan. According to the document, the system will maintain a constant air heat temperature in various weather conditions. A special component of this system is that that collector itself is made of recycled aluminum cans.

  Author: Canadian Solar Industries Association

  Date: 2004

  Pages: 2

• Solar Thermal Heating User Guide (2007)-

• Active and Passive Solar for multi-unit residential buildings (2003)-

  This document is about an EcoCité apartment development in Montreal, Canada. Along with the solar thermal applications that the apartment building utilizes, the whole design of the structure was created with sustainability in mind. It is located directly by public transit and was constructed with all nontoxic materials.

• 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

• Canada: Solar Thermal Energy Competitive with Natural Gas-

  Canada’s biggest solar thermal installation with 223 kW (319 m²) pumps heat to Wood Green Community Services in Toronto. Photo: Mondial Energy

• Solar Hot Water for Laundromats (2004)-

  This brochure is a case study of the Beach Solar Laundromat in Toronto, Canada and their experience with using a solar thermal hot water heating system for their laundromat business.

• 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act (2010)-

  This brochure explains the contents of the 10 Million Solar Roofs & 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act that was introduced in the US Congress last year. The document was created by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

• Solar Water for Car Washes (2003)-

  This brochure is a case study of the Sonoco Car Wash in Markham, ON Canada, and that company’s experience with solar thermal water heating.

• EnerWorks Residential Solar Water-Heating (2005)-

  This brochure was created by the solar energy company EnerWorks. It exemplifies the consumer- orientated business approach to solar thermal water heating systems for residential use.

  EnerWorks is a Canadian solar energy company. Their brochure highlights the many domestic uses of solar thermal heated water: showering, washing dishes, doing the laundry, washing hands. Also, the brochure touts potential savings and the reduction in carbon emissions associated with solar thermal systems.

• Solar Water and Pool Heating for the Accommodation Industry (2003)-

  This brochure is a case study of the Best Western Inn in Kenowla, Canada. It was produced by the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), and describes the success that this Best Western had with solar thermal water heating and what lessons this case has for the larger accommodation industry.

• Solar Water Heating – Evacuated Tube Systems for Canada (2009)-

  This is a presentation on solar thermal systems for heating residential water and floors. It was created by WSE Technologies, a solar energy company in Canada, and explains various aspects of solar thermal water and floor heating for individuals who live in Canada.

• Germany: T*Sol simulates Air Collector Systems -

  Air collector systems of Grammer can now be simulated and planned with the new version 5.0 of T*SOL Pro, the dynamic simulation programme for the design and planning of solar thermal systems, developed by German company Valentin Software. The programme is the result of a close collaboration with German air collector manufacturer Grammer Solar.
  Figure: Valentin

• Canada: Solarbeam replaces up to 15 Flat Plate Collectors -

  The Canadian company Solartron Energy Systems installed the first nine Solarbeam Concentrator collectors. The subsidiary of the Canadian company EG Energy Controls was founded two years ago, to launch and market the medium temperature parabolic collector that provides solar hot water up to 98 °C.
  Photo: Solartron Energy Systems

• ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat - Canada-

  This webiste breaks down the ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program, which is a four-year, $36 million investment that started in 2007 and runs to 2011.

  The purpose of the program is to increase the use of renewable thermal energy by industry, commercial business and institutions; boost the amount of renewable thermal energy created for these sectors; contribute to cleaner air by helping Canadian business use less fossil-based energy for space and water heating in buildings across the country.

• Canada: Long-term Subsidy Programme ecoEnergy halted-

  The prospects for the Canadian solar thermal sector are becoming cloudy. “The final day for the receipt of requests for payment under the ecoEnergy for Renewable heat programme was 31 January 2011,” Al Clark, Senior Advisor & Manager for the ecoEnergy for Renewable Heat programme at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), confirmed. The final results of the four-year programme will not be available before March 2010.

• Survey of Active Solar Thermal Collectors, Industry and Markets in Canada (2008)-

  This report was prepared by the Science Applications International Corporation and is a survey of the Canadian solar thermal industry covering the year 2008.

  The results of the survey show continued growth in the Canadian market and also highlights a few key areas of interest.

• USA: Second Workshop for Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration-

  The 2nd Workshop for Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration, taking place in Las Vegas on 2 February, will bring together top experts from Europe and North America - among them Christian Holter, SOLID (Austria), Steve Hunter, Vanir Energy (California/US), Daniel Mugnier, TECSOL (France), and Tom Lopp, Power Partners, Athens (Georgia/US).

• Canada Committed to Solar Thermal Energy-

  The first solar seasonal storage facility on the North American continent: Since September 2007, 52 single-family homes at the Drake Landing Solar Community in Okotoks near Calgary have been heated using 800 collectors of the Canadian manufacturer Enerworks and a ground reservoir with 140 boreholes. Photo: Enerworks

• Canada: Best Efficiency Scores for new perforated Glazed Air Collector -

  It looks quite simple, this perforated, transparent plastic cover Christian Vachon, President of Enerconcept Technologies, is holding in his hands. The above-shown cover, however, achieved the best performance factor ever reached in the collector ranking of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
  Photo: Stephanie Banse

• OSEA CanSIA Solar Thermal Community Action Manual (2008)-

  This homeowner’s guide was created by the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA), and the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA). It provides information for people living in Canada on how to deploy residential and local solar thermal applications in their communities. It provides insight on how to use local solar thermal organizations to help spread solar thermal, how to obtain public financing for such projects, and an introduction on how to install equipment.

• Canada: Retirement Home Solar Cooling -

  162 vacuum tube collector panels supplying the Oxford Gardens Retirement Village with domestic hot water, a warm water pool, space heating in winter and cooling in summer: According to project leader Suni Ball of Canadian solar system provider Proterra Solar, the system is the largest solar cooling installation in the country. Over 80 guests came to its inauguration in November 2010.
  Photo: Oxford Gardens

• Canada: New Standards for Solar Collectors-

  Canada overhauls its standards for solar collectors: The Public Review Draft of the new F378 Series has currently been posted to the CSA Public Review website. Comments can be submitted until 29 January 2011. The F378 Series includes liquid based collectors, as well as all types of solar air collectors.
  Photo: Yoursolarhome

• Active Solar Thermal Energy (2006)-

  This fact sheet was created by the Canadian Solar Industries Association. Its focus is on active solar energy and its growing industry in Canada.

• 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

• USA: Iron Workers International Union launches Solarwall Training Programme-

  North America’s iron workers gain knowledge in green technology: In October, the International Iron Workers Union announced that it has developed the first Solarwall installer training programme for their members. The certified solar air heating training programme covers commercial and industrial applications.
  Photo: Conserval

• India: Exclusive Distribution Agreement for Canadian Air Collectors-

  CEO Tygamundlu Anant (left) and Managing Director Surendra Kumar (centre), both from Nuetech Solar, India, signed an exclusive agreement with Christian Vachon, President of Enerconcept Technologies, Canada, about introducing the solar air heating collector Lubi in India.
  Photo: Nuetech Solar

• Solar Thermally-Driven Liquid-Desiccant Air-Conditioning System (2010)-

  This paper was released by the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario during 2010. The goal of this paper is to asses the effectiveness of a liquid-desiccant air-conditioning system paired with a solar thermal system.

• Solar Cooling in North America: “Joint Forces are needed”-

  “A coordinated effort is needed to develop the solar thermal market in North America,” Lucio Mesquita, Head of Thermosol Consulting in Canada, said during his presentation about “Solar Cooling in North America” at the Intersolar North America in San Francisco in July.
  Photo: Thermosol Consulting
  
  

• SESCI Conference 2011, Ottawa - Canada's National Event on Solar and Renewable Energy Policies and the Green Energy Economy takes place from May 5 to 8 2011 in Ottawa. The 1rst Canadian Annual Solar Policy & Economics Forum will examine the status and potential of the Canadian solar market at the end of the 2011 legislative period. With its strategic location in Ottawa, the forum will not only assemble the key Ontario players from the solar industry but also bring together policy makers, lobbyists and the financial community.
• Combined Solar Power and Desalination Plants: Update on the MED-CSD Project (2009)-

  This presentation from 2009 provides an update of the MED-CSD project. The main aim of this project is the assessment of the technico-economic potential of CSP for electricity and desalination in the Mediterranean region. The presentation first gives a global overview by linking the regions suffering from water scarcity with the global potential for concentrating solar power.

• Solar Power in Canada: Powerful, Proven and Practical (2003)-

  This report was prepared in 2003 by Rob McMonagle for the Canadian Solar Industries Association.

  The document describes the specific challenges that the solar industry in Canada faces and also argues against many common myths associated with solar energy. Several charts also show that Canada has more solar energy than many countries that are currently worldwide solar leaders. Several charts provide a cost/energy breakdown for various uses of solar thermal power and solar pool heating is explained in further detail.

• 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

• Seizing the Solar Solution: Combating Climate Change through Accelerated Deployment (2009)-

  This report was published on December 2009, parallel to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) summit taking place in Copenhagen, to bring authorities' attention to solar energy and the relevant contribution it can provide to reducing GHG emissions.

• USA: SRCC tackles Backlogs in Solar Thermal Testing and Certification-

  The US-based Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) is on the fast lane. Within only one and a half years SRCC has increased the number of accredited test labs from two to fourteen. Collector and system suppliers that want to enter the US-market can now address test institutes in Australia, Spain, Canada, Germany, China and Switzerland, as well as the US.

• An Introduction to Solar Pool Heating Systems (2003)-

  This report was prepared by the Canadian Solar Industries Association and provides a basic overview of solar pool heating systems specific to Canada.

  Benefits of using solar pool heating systems are explained in the report as well as advantages of solar vs. gas heaters and heat pumps.

  The document gives five reasons why Canadians should use solar heating; Solar saves on pool heating costs, solar extends your swimming season, solar equipment is durable, solar requires less maintenance and solar energy is good for the environment.

• USA: Strategic Partnership between Tank and Collector Manufacturer-

  Start of a new cooperation: Bill Vallett, Jr., President of Lochinvar (left) and Robin Welling, Managing Director of Tisun, presented their new brand Lochinvar/Tisun at the AHR Expo in Orlando, Florida, in spring this year.
  Photo: Tisun

• Renewables for Heating and Cooling (2007)- This document, prepared by the International Energy Agency, comes as a follow-up of the 2006 seminar “Renewable heating and cooling – from RD&D to deployment technology and policy” aimed at exploring guidelines and policy initiatives to boost technology development and market deployment for renewable heating and cooling (REHC).
• Solar Canada 2010, Toronto -

  The CanSIA Trade Show and conference takes place from 6 to 7 December 2010 in Toronto, Canada. The conference will include industry and technical updates, government activities (all levels), R&D and attracting investors. It is designed especially for solar industry members, government representatives, ENGO's, utilities, financial community members, architects, developers, builders, dealers, installers and anyone else interested learning more about the Canadian solar industry.

  
   

• Ten Features of Successful Solar Policies (2007)-

  This article prepared by Policy Dialogue investigate the five key requirements for solar technology in general to take-off. The list can be summarised as follows: 1. Solar Access Bylaws 2. Road Planning 3. Better Building Codes 4. Performance-based incentives 5. Net-metering 6. Sustainable long-term incentives 7. Low Administrative incentives 8. Energy performance loans 9. National regulatory compliance 10. Quality Standards

• Toronto Solar Neighbourhood Initiative - Program Guidebook (2008)- The Toronto Solar Neighbourhood Initiative will be launching in South Riverdale in 2008. The program will offer financial incentives for solar hot water installations on homes in Ward 30 - Toronto-Danforth. Residents will also get assistance with identifying other opportunities to save energy and reduce their home energy bills. Go to Document
• Solar Hot Water Site Assessment Form - This document is an example of an assessment form for a solar hot water site, detailing the relevant considerations as identified by the Toronto Solar Neighbourhood Initiative. Go to Document
• SWH Program Application Form (2008)- This is an example of an application form for a solar water heating loan or grant in Canada Go to Document
• Canada Shines With Solar Expertise (2010)-

  This paper was released by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in 2010. The Vancouver Olympic Games showed large-scale success of solar thermal energy in Canada.

  Solar thermal modules supplied energy that supplied the Vancouver Olympic Village buildings and utilized it for other purposes. Estimates say that the buildings achieved 30 to 70 percent greater energy efficiency compared to standard buildings built to minimum code.

• USA: A.O. Smith, Rheem and Bradford White discover Solar Technology-

  The three major US-American water heater manufacturers - A.O. Smith, Rheem and Bradford White – are pushing into the solar thermal sector. All of them specialize in solar water heaters in the size of 60 / 80 and 120 gallons. Rheem and A.O. Smith additionally offer entire kits by purchasing collectors from OEM manufacturers. Photo: Rheem

• Barriers to Technology Diffusion: the Case of Solar Thermal Technologies (2006)-

  This joint paper from the OECD and IEA (October 2006) looks into the different barriers that exist which prevent solar thermal technologies to deliver its real potential. Next to listing the barriers, the document also looks into means to overcome these, the existing technologies & markets and identifies best practices which can be used by policy makers in both industrialised and developing countries.

  Three barriers to diffusion are analysed in more detail:

  (1) Technical barriers,

  (2) Economic barriers and

• The Present and Future Use of Solar Thermal Energy as a Primary Source of Energy (2005)-

  This document from the International Energy Agency (2005) covers all aspects of solar thermal energy Different solar thermal technologies covered includes passive solar architecture; solar cooling; district heating; concentrating solar troughs, towers, and dishes; the solar thermal market.

  It discusses the current market and policies, as well as worldwide potential of solar thermal energy for the future.

  The paper was written by Cédric Philibert.

• Solarwall Element Delivers Hot Air and Electricity- A hybrid air PV collector: The hot air behind the photovoltaic modules is sucked into a ventilation system. Photo: Conserval Engineering
  

• USA Market Statistic: China as Biggest Collector Importer-

  About 200,000 m² of flat plate and vacuum tube collectors were shipped throughout the US-American market in 2008, according to the annual statistics of the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The annual report was published in January 2010, four months later than announced.
  Source: www.eia.doe.gov

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

  This project that began in 2006 uses a combination of direct and indirect solar collection to generate electricity and store thermal energy in an economically and environmentally friendly way for moderate climates like Canada, northern USA, Asia and Europe.

• U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon (2009)-

  This document serves as a media kit for the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.

  In this decathlon, 20 university-led teams from the United States, Germany, Canada and Spain to design, build and operate the most attractive, energy-efficient, solar-powered house. The reason behind this annual decathlon is to encourage young people to pursue careers in the field as well as to educate and train the decathletes, as well as the general public, in the benefits of renewable technology like solar thermal and solar electric.

• Survey of Active Solar Thermal Collectors, Industry and Markets in Canada (2005)-

  A detailed survey of the active solar thermal industry in Canada was undertaken in the period from January through March, 2005.

  The primary focus of the survey was to determine the size of the Canadian solar thermal industry and market. This data was then used to derive thermal energy output and avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from solar thermal systems.

  As the first survey of this type in over a decade, the questionnaire was distributed widely, to 268 recipients across Canada.

• Solar Hot Water and Building and Plumbing Codes – Canada (2005)-

  This page explains revisions that the CanSIA requested in the National Plumbing Code (NPC) regarding solar hot water heaters in Canada. You can find the actual request letter from the CanSIA here

  Among the problems in the National Codes are mis-referencing in certain sections, and clarification of code for custom built solar units.

  Go to website

• Solar Heating Worldwide (2005)- This report from 2005, published by Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) relates the solar thermal capacity previously installed in important markets worldwide. It further reports the contribution of solar plants to the supply of energy and the CO2 emissions reduction, resulting from operating these plants.
• Canada: Steep increase in unglazed Solar Collectors in 2008-

  The Canadian solar thermal market is taking up speed:  Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) published the preliminary results of a market survey that found the number of installed collector area to have doubled in 2008, from 61,000 to 125,000 m². Source: NRCan

• Manufacturer Founds Air Collector Association SAHWIA-

  Air collector companies exist very much in the shadows of the manufacturers of water collectors. Therefore a Solar Air Heating World Industry Association (SAHWIA) is necessary. But not all manufacturers are pleased with the procedure that lead to the association’s founding. Photo: Solarwall

• Solar Energy in Canada-

  The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) produced this bulletin to explain feasible applications for solar energy in Canada. It talks about how cost-effective solar water heaters can be after installation in residential and commercial applications. It also mentions the benefits of the operating costs for solar compared to oil heating systems, as well as residential solar pool heaters that are used seasonally.

• Enlarging Testing Facilities for SRCC in the USA-

  The extension of the federal tax credits by eight years and the election of Barack Obama have suddenly made the U.S. market for solar thermal energy far more attractive. The importance of imports of collectors and systems is growing. The number of flat plate and evacuated tube collectors has increased more than tenfold within three years according to the statistics of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) from 3,000 m² (2005) to 36,000 m² (2007).

• Solar Domestic Hot Water System Sizing for Whitehorse, YT and Dawson, YT – Canada (2008)-

  This report was prepared by Numerical Logics Inc. in 2008. It reports on temperature and solar radiation for two different locations in order to pick the solar thermal hot water system that would best suit the location. It then discusses the system type, tank size, and potential Canadian suppliers for the systems. There are charts, graphs and calculations for each section to provide explanations for: possible number of collectors; slope of collectors; evaluations of solar resources; typical workings of a solar domestic water heating system; sizing of storage tanks.

• The RETScreen Solar Water Heating Project Model - The RETScreen Solar Water Heating Project Model can be used worldwide to easily evaluate the energy production, life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for three basic applications: domestic hot water, industrial process heat and swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), ranging in size from small residential systems to large scale commercial, institutional and industrial systems. It was built with the help of several experts from government, industry and academia and the financial support of the CanmetENERGY research centre of Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan).
• Ontario: Solar Home Systems on Lease- The financial obstacle of buying a solar water heating (SWH) system is an issue for almost every company or household. Reliance Home Comfort (RHC), based in Toronto, offers a special renting system for water heaters to overcome this issue. The Canadian supplier for water heaters responded last year to a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the federal government to direct the delivery channels for solar thermal systems.
• Solar Ready - Making Your Home Ready For Solar Water Heating (2007)-

  The development of this document was funded by Natural Resources Canada. When the time comes to install your solar water heater, a few preparations now can save you hundreds of dollars and will ensure that your system will provide maximum energy savings. This guide has been designed for homeowners and renovators who are doing a major home renovation and for architects, designers and builders who want to provide their customer the option of using solar water heating in the future.

• Survey of Active Solar Thermal Collectors, Industry and Markets in Canada (2006)-

  This report provides results of a survey of active solar thermal collectors and markets in Canada in 2005, commissioned by Natural Resources Canada. The main objective of this study was to capture comprehensive and reliable information on market size and industry trends. It is also used to estimate delivered thermal energy and displaced CO2 emissions of all active solar thermal systems operating in Canada. The survey was completed by a significant portion of the larger companies that were targeted.

   

• RETscreen Solar Air heating analysis-

  RETScreen International is a unique decision support tool developed with the contribution of numerous experts from government, industry, and academia. Over the coming months, Leonardo ENERGY will be publishing a series of webcasts on energy project analysis using RETScreen.

  Solar Air Heating Project Analysis This module discusses systems that use solar energy to heat air. View webcast (30 minutes)

• CanSIA Solar Conference 2009, Toronto- The conference will include industry and technical updates, government activities (all levels), R&D and attracting investors. It is designed especially for solar industry members, government representatives, ENGO's, utilities, financial community members, architects, developers, builders, dealers, installers and anyone alse interested learning more about the Canadian solar industry.
• 4th Canadian Solar Buildings Conference, Toronto-

  The 4^th Canadian Solar Buildings Conference takes place parallel to the 34^th Annual Conference of the Solar Energy Society of Canada and 4^th Canadian Solar Buildings Research Network Conference. Presentations either in French or in English on many aspects of solar energy technology and solar energy systems are planned:

• CanSIA Solar Conference 2008, Toronto- CanSIA Solar Conference 2008 is the first event for the solar industry in Canada. The organiser, the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), invites companies to participate as exhibitor at this upcoming event to be held in Toronto from December 8th – 9th, 2008.
• 33rd Annual SESCI Conference, Fredericton, New Brunswick- SESCI (the Solar Energy Society of Canada) is in its 34th year of advocating for greater utilization of solar and other renewable resources. Toward this aim SESCI is holding Solar Fair 2008, August 22 -24 in Fredericton, NB. Solar Fair 2008 is an opportunity to celebrate and learn about renewable energy.