Dear Solarthermalworld.org Reader,
It
was a busy Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week this January: First, there was
the fourth assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) on 17 and 18 January, which brought together
1,200 high-profile attendants; second, the four-day World Future Energy
Summit betweem 19 and 22 January. Renewable electricity was
definitely the hot topic of all debates and speeches. There were only a
handful of exhibitors and speakers who focused on solar heating and
cooling technology. In addition, IRENA's current major projects, such as
the online search tool REsource and the funds for renewable energy
projects in developing countries only concern renewable electricity. It
seems as if even the “global hub for renewable energy cooperation and
information exchange,” as IRENA calls itself, must first come to realise
that over 50 % of the global final energy consumption is used for
heating and cooling around the world, as the International Energy Agency
says.
Have a good read and sunny regards
The editorial team
