BDH | Solarthermalworld

February 20, 2018
Germany: Solar thermal loses out to other renewables

2017 was the weakest year for solar thermal collector sales in more than a decade, according to the combined statistics by associations BDH and BSW-Solar. Their data reveals that only 78,000 systems were sold last year. The newly installed collector area added up to 625,000 m², down 16 %...
March 27, 2017
ISH Trade Fair: Not Much on Solar Heating

With more than 200,000 visitors from 61 countries and 2,482 exhibitors, this year´s ISH trade fair in Frankfurt, Germany, set a new record. The biannual exhibition showed the latest trends in building and heating technologies, including renewable energy applications. During the one-hour...
February 27, 2017
Germany: High Rebates Not Enough to Offset Market Decline Due to Cheap Fossil Fuels

Three weeks before the ISH 2017 opens its doors again between 14 and 18 March 2017, the German renewable heating associations published their annual market statistics for 2016. The trend is clear: Low oil and gas prices have reduced demand for solar water heating systems (-8 %) and biomass...
August 8, 2016
Germany: Today’s System Suppliers Wary of Fixed-Price Marketing Campaigns

The German solar thermal market is still stuck in recession. Although incentives are higher than they have ever been, demand has not really picked up over the first five...
May 4, 2016
Germany: Symposium Debates Renewable Heating Market Ups and Downs

During the first quarter of 2016, solar thermal suppliers in Germany sold around 3 % more systems than they did over the same period last year. This is indeed good news after 2015 turned out to be another disappointing year with a 10 % drop in sales, adding only 805,000 m² (563 MWt_h...
August 31, 2015
Germany: Label for Existing Heating Boilers to Increase Retrofit Share

Finally some good news from Germany, the largest market in Europe, which declined for four years in a row between 2011 and 2014. After a very sluggish first quarter in 2015, demand for solar thermal systems was increasing over the summer months because of the...
May 24, 2014
Germany: Strong Decrease in Retrofit Market for Solar Combi Systems

According to the German solar industry association, BSW Solar, and the German heating industry association, BDH, the country saw an 11 % decrease in newly installed solar collector area in 2013, bringing market volume down to 735 MW_th (1.05 million m²). The analysis...
January 20, 2014
Germany: New Heating Regulation Requires Replacement of Old Boilers

In May 2014, Germany will have a new Energy Savings Ordinance, the EnEV 2014. From 2015 on, the regulation will require the replacement of oil and gas boilers that are older than 30 years if they are not subject to one of the many exemptions. It might bring solar thermal an increased market...
December 4, 2013
Associations Kick off European Solar Thermal Energy Standardisation & Certification Working Group

Four major solar and heating associations in Europe jointly kicked off the ESTESC working group in Berlin at the end of November. ESTESC stands for European Solar Thermal Energy Standardisation & Certification. The four associations are the two Brussels-based associations European...
May 26, 2013
Germany: "A standstill is not the answer, a system solution is."

The German solar thermal market has shrunk yet again. The figures for 2012 show a 9% drop in sales compared to 2011. This year has been off to a very slow start as well: In the first quarter of 2013, collector area sales were down by 19% compared to the same period last year, according...
December 3, 2012
Germany: No Upturn in 2012

Despite a good start, 2012 has not seen any upturn in the German solar thermal industry, as latest figures show. Carsten Kuhlmann (in the middle) from the heating manufacturers association BDH expects a newly installed collector area of 1.2 million m², which would be 5 % less than...
August 16, 2012
Germany: Environment Ministry Pushes up Solar Process Heat Subsidies

The Federal Environment Ministry has approved new frame conditions for the MAP, the national Market Rebate Programme for Renewable Energies. Since 15 August, house owners have been receiving a minimum subsidy of EUR 1,500 for a solar combi system, which supplies hot water and space...