large-scale solar thermal installations

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

In October, German company PAW GmbH & Co. KG is going to introduce its big solar stations to the US market. Sales Manager Lars Bergmann has realised a trend towards big solar stations around the world, but more than anywhere in the US: turnover for the medium-size systems which PAW has already been selling in the States doubled last year - figures Jens-Peter Meyer was able to confirm in his market overview in Sun & Wind Energy 6/2011.

Dr. Alexander Zhivov of the US Army Corps of Engineers presented the recently developed US Army Guide on Central Solar Water Heating Systems at the Intersolar North America conference in the middle of July 2011 (see attached presentation). The speaker is Senior Principal Investigator at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the US Army and Project Manager of the Solar Guide. The 321-page study analyses the potential and technical feasibility of domestic hot water production in US Army facilities, such as barracks, dining facilities, hospitals or gyms.
Photo: US Army

Greek manufacturer Sole has already completed its second large-scale solar thermal project in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The company installed a 1,026 m² (0.72 MWth) solar thermal system at the newly constructed Dubai Sports Complex, which provides the sports facilities with hot sanitary and swimming pool water. The photo shows Sole´s Managing Director, Vangelis Lamaris, testing the stability of the collector field.
Photo: Sole

The currently largest solar thermal system in Serbia is installed on the employee and visitor parking garage of the hospital in the Serbian town of Zreňanin, according to the director of the Serbian Solar Institution, Miroslav Lambiča. 200 solar collectors manufactured and set up by Slovakian company Thermosolar have generated heat for this central hospital since December 2010.
Photo: Thermosolar

The first large solar thermal project of Viessmann in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has already been in operation for four years, and has not experienced any major technical problems during that time. In 2007, the German heating boiler manufacturer delivered and installed 3,000 m² of flat plate collectors, type Vitosol 200 F, which provide a daily supply of 20,000 litres of hot water to multi-storey buildings on “The Palm Jumeirah” near Dubai, UAE. The collector fields were installed on the roofs of the 14 flat blocks situated directly at the beach of the Arabian Gulf. Backup heat is generated by wall-hung gas boilers.
Photo: Viessmann

The subsidy programme "Solar Thermal – Solar large-scale” launched by Austria Solar was one of the most successful programmes of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund in 2010. The 38 submitted projects were twice as much as could be financed by the original budget (see www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1538). Its increase still during 2010 made it possible to ultimately finance all of the applications received. The 2011 budget now provides EUR 5 million – more than double the amount of last year.

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.

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

Focusing on large-scale solar thermal installations: In August, German group Ritter Energie- und Umwelttechnik has established Ritter XL Solar, a subsidiary to exclusively distribute the group's large-scale solar thermal installations with CPC vacuum tube collectors. The CEOs of the new subsidiary are Dr. Rolf Meißner (left), Engineering, and Detlev Seidler, Marketing & Sales. Photo: Ritter
Photo: Ritter