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

Submitted by Baerbel Epp on Wed, 06/18/2008 - 12:32.

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

New installed capacity in 2006 [MWth] Market growth in 2006
United Kingdom 38 93%
United States 88 92%
France including overseas 207 86%
Spain 123 64%
Germany 1050 58%
Mexico 47 58%
Poland 29 50%
Italy 128 46%
Turkey 490 46%
Denmark 26 45%
Switzerland 37 25%
Austria 205 25%
India 350 25%
China 12600 20%
Cyprus 42 20%
Greece 174 13%
Israel 155 11%
Brazil 304 10%
Taiwan 86 9%
Australia 120 5%
Japan 197 -8%

 Further information: “Solar Heat Worldwide. Market and Contribution to the Energy Supply 2006”, a study from the IEA Solar Heating & Cooling Programme. May 2008: http://www.aee-intec.at/index.php?seitenId=11