NREAP

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

This report, compiled by the Energy Research Centre from the Netherlands with the help of the European Environment Agency, has been published in February 2011 and illustrates the targeted levels of renewable energy production that the EU member-states want to obtain by 2020.

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.

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

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

The Hungarian solar thermal industry is joining forces: In October 2010, it initiated the founding of the Hungarian solar association Magyar Szolár Szövetség, which will be authorised by the Hungarian administration most probably by the end of March. President of the new association is European Parliament member Bela Glattfelder (Photo), who shows great ambition. In addition to intense national lobbying, the association has joined forces with the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF).
Source: www.europarl.europa.eu

After a five-month delay, Belgium finally submitted its National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) in November 2010 - with quite ambitious targets for solar thermal: The cumulative collector area is to increase by a 22-fold, from 0.21 million m² in 2010 to 4.62 million m² in 2020. Tax credits and incentive programmes are thought to support the implementation. However, experts doubt its feasibility.
Source: NREAP/own calculations

Every fourth Greek household gets its hot water from heating with the sun. The solar market, however, stagnated in 2010. Substantial support mechanisms are needed to fulfil the objectives of the National Renewable Energy Action Plan.
Photo: Joachim Berner

Clear-cut concepts and mandatory targets to protect the climate was what the European Commission requested from the 27 EU members as they created their National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs). On 30 June 2010, 23 states delivered their national version – with meagre success for solar thermal technology. Carried out by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), an analysis of the presently available NREAPs shows that only the 8 countries displayed in the figure above included significant collector area and growth rates in their plans lasting until 2020.
Source: ESTIF

In most of the National Renewable Energy Plans (NREAPs), solar thermal was not a priority. Only 8 countries announced significant collector area and growth rates (see news here). solarthermalworld.org asked Xavier Noyon, Secretary General of the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), about the reasons behind this lack of consideration, and about the actions which have to be taken now.
Photo: ESTIF