Solar-heated multi-family buildings gain popularity in Germany

Many new largely solar-heated houses in Germany are multi-family buildings, like the two ones on the photo. They meet over 60% of their residents’ heating needs via a 100m² solar system and a 24,600-litre seasonal storage tank.

EU to have 35 million building units renovated by 2030

This October saw the unfolding of two landmark events that will have a major impact on renewable energy markets for decades to come. On 14 October, the Renovation Wave communication was published and a week later the environment ministers across the Union adopted the European Climate Law.

“Use mandates to boost established markets, but not to build up new ones”

Ten years after Hawaii’s Solar Hot Water Mandate was issued the Hawaii Solar Energy Association won a lawsuit to weed out a fatal flaw of the regulation that required all new single-family homes to install a solar water heater since 2010 unless one of four variances can be met.

Improved design for giga-size pit heat storage

Denmark’s cost-effective seasonal pit heat storage concept needs to be modified if it is to be implemented across Europe. The members of research platform Task 55 have therefore created alternative designs and tested improved liners for tank volumes ranging from 100,000 to 2 million m³.

TrustEE standardises project assessment and financing

Any company that wants to be successful in selling industrial solar heat solutions to end users and investors needs standardised project assessment and advanced risk management. One solution is offered by TrustEE, an online plattform with a semi-automatic project assessment and an innovative refinancing scheme.