STA

On 10^th March 2011 the UK’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) published details of their Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. This will launch on 29^th July 2011 (see press release). The RHI aims to help the UK achieve a target of 12% of total heat consumption coming from renewable energy sources by 2020. It is predicted over the next decade that this initiative will reduce carbon emissions by 44 million tonnes, although this depends on which fuels are displaced.

16,880 m² of collector area were subsidised between 2008 and 2010 in the Thailand incentive programme for commercial installations that are combined with waste heat from an air conditioner or boiler. According to the programme administrator, the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE), hotels show the biggest share within the subsidy programme, followed by process heat applications in the industry.
Source: DEDE

On 20 October 2010, after a comprehensive review of Great Britain’s Government Spending, it was announced that the long-awaited Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will launch in June 2011. The RHI will provide financial support for those who install renewable heating systems, and will support a range of technologies including solar thermal, biomass boilers, combined heat and power, biogas, bioliquids, geothermal and the injection of bio-methane into the natural gas grid.

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).

This document was produced by the Solar Thermal Association in Thailand. It provides a thorough overview of the Soltherm project. The Market Development Solar Thermal Applications in Thailand project (Soltherm Thailand) is funded by the EU-Thailand Economic Cooperation Small Project Facility (EU-SPF) and jointly implemented by the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE).

The UK Government is currently seeking views on the introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme to start in April 2011. Responses to the consultation are invited by Monday 26th April 2010. Details can be accessed here.

The key proposed aspects of the RHI are as follows:

37 commercially installed solar thermal systems of between 50 and 500 m² received subsidies in Thailand over the last two years. Nevertheless, the sector shows a lack of professional service to operate these solar systems at an optimum efficiency.
Photo: STA

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.

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has recently published its Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) which includes solar thermal. This has provoked a strong response from the UK Solar Trade Association (STA) stating that DECC has “massively underestimated the potential of solar thermal technologies and completely missed a huge opportunity”.

The UK was still one of the most dynamic solar thermal markets in Europe in 2008 – despite the worldwide economic crisis. According to the British Solar Trade Association (STA), the amount of solar thermal collectors installed countrywide in 2008 grew by 50 % to 81,000 m² (57 MW_th)."