The draft of the Renewable Energy Sources Law from December 2011, which was supposed to give momentum to the solar thermal market in Poland, has drawn heavy criticism from industry officials and renewable energy organisations alike. Janusz Starościk, President of the Association of Manufacturers and Importers of Heating Appliances, stated that, “passing the law in the current form will pose a serious threat to the solar thermal sector in Poland”. This critical view is shared by the Polish Economic Chamber of Renewable Energy. 

In 2011 the newly-installed collector area for hot water and space heating in Switzerland increased by around 1.5% compared to the previous year. This is the result of a recent market survey that has been conducted on behalf of the Swiss Industry Association Swissolar. A total of 100,000 solar thermal systems have been installed on Swiss roofs by now. But according to Swissolar, this number represents only a small fraction of the country’s solar thermal potential. The association explains the current stagnation in the market. 

The Canadian city of Halifax is on its way to become the first Solar City in Canada. The regional authority, the Halifax Regional Municipality Council, is preparing to launch a solar pilot programme which is expected to lead to the installation of up to 1,000 residential solar water heaters. This represents a big step ahead compared to the around 200 solar water heaters which had been installed annually in the entire province beforehand. The solar water heaters will be financed through an annual surcharge on the property tax over the next ten years.