China: International Metal Solar Industry Alliance founded

The Beijing branch of the International Copper Association (ICA) has formed the International Metal Solar Industry Alliance (IMSIA) in November 2010. “The alliance will provide a platform for its members to share best practices and cooperate in promoting copper solar thermal technologies,” Joseph Huang, Project Manager of the Building Energy Management section, explained. The alliance was officially presented to the public at a press meeting at the Beijing Hotel on 15 November 2010.
Photo: ICA

Among its founding members are the following solar water heater manufacturers: LoongSolar Science&Technology Corporation, Jiaputong Solar Energy Corporation, CIB Solar, Jiuyang Industry Corporation, Linuo Paradigma and Prosunpro Solar Energy. Representatives of research institutions, such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Southeast University and Tongji University, took also part in the meeting.

Building design institutes and real estate developers, too, are invited to join the IMSIA. The Eco-design Office of Architectural Design of Tsinghua University and the Building branch of the Beijing Tsinghua Urban Planning & Design Institute made the first step and sent representatives to the founding meeting in November.

There are four objectives the newly formed alliance has already set out:

• Promoting high-quality, ‘flow-type’ pressurised metal solar water heating systems;
• Promoting solar energy in new applications, such as building-integrated solar energy, solar heating, industrial process heat, solar thermal power generation and solar desalination;
• Increasing the awareness of solar thermal enterprises and end consumers about the role of solar energy in energy conservation
• Improving product quality by collaborating on policies and standards, and informing consumers.

The first of IMSIA’s activities have also been scheduled already:

• Together, Jiaputong Solar Energy and the International Copper Association are going to fund a solar building design competition, in order to encourage students and universities to create solar building designs.
• Linuo Paradigma and ICA have signed a cooperation agreement on developing technology and marketing measures for solar process heat.
• The website solarwiki.info was launched to serve the alliance members, as well as other target audiences, such as designers, developers and installers. The website is run by the ICA and is thought to share information in Chinese on energy efficient buildings, as well as solar heating and cooling technology on the national, as well as international market. A weekly newsletter complements the offer.

More information:
International Copper Association (ICA): http://www.copper.org.cn