Great Britain

April 8, 2021
“Develop a business case for thermal energy storage”

Thermal energy storage will undoubtedly play a key role in linking the electricity with the heat sector and in decarbonising buildings and industry. It should come as no surprise then that thermal energy storage (TES) technologies are the focus of the latest Innovation Outlook report...
November 15, 2020
17th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling, Nottingham

The 17th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling will takes place from Septemer 6th – 9th 2021 in Nottingham, UK or online (decision in April 2021). The Symposium aims at gathering the international research community around issues important for District Energy development. The...
November 14, 2020
“Solar thermal cooling reduces the strain on the power grid”

Global IEA Solar Heating and Cooling research platform Task 65, called Solar Cooling for the Sunbelt Regions, aims to provide countries in Africa, Asia and the MENA region with specifications and know-how of solar thermal and PV air conditioning. To achieve this, researchers and...
August 13, 2020
Grants for 600,000 renewable heating systems in England

In early August, the UK government announced a GBP 2 billion (USD 2.61 billion) Green Homes Grant scheme that will fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements, including solar thermal systems, heat pumps and insulation, for over 600,000 residential buildings. From the end of...
November 27, 2019
Touring exhibition shows retrofits in 11 historic buildings

In October, Vienna became the first venue for the new touring exhibition Historic Buildings Energy Retrofit Atlas. At the European Congress on the Use, Management and Conservation of Buildings of Historical Value held in Austria’s capital, 12 roll-up banners showed the positive impact that...
November 24, 2017
Solar Is UK's Best District Heating Option

The UK government has clear and ambitious plans to raise the share of district heating (DH) in total heat consumption. GBP (Pound Sterling) 320 million is said to be made available for increasing the number of households connected to DH from 220,000 to 8 million by 2030, or to 30 % of today...
March 8, 2016
Great Britain: Solar thermal proposed to exit the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme

The previously reported rumours of significant changes for solar thermal support in the UK have now been confirmed by the government in a consultation proposal on 3 March....
February 10, 2016
Great Britain: Rumours of Closing down Renewable Heat Incentives

Since the win at the general election May 2015, the UK Conservative Party has made significant changes to policies that were related to energy and environment protection. These include the currently in parliament discussed reduction of subsidies for wind and solar PV with the Feed-In...
August 5, 2013
UK: Domestic RHI Tariff Applies to Installations After 15 July 2009

In July 2013 the UK’s Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) confirmed the tariff rates for the long-awaited Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The Government’s press release at 12 July 2013 promises that the solar thermal tariff will be set at ‘at least 19.2 Pound Stirling pence...
May 13, 2013
Great Britain: Zero Carbon or Nearly Zero Carbon?

In December 2006, the UK Government set a new policy that all new homes in England would be ‘zero carbon’ from 2016 and introduced an initiative called the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), which would allow ratings to measure different levels of compliance. Although initially confusing...
May 8, 2013
Great Britain: RHI Delays Blamed for 35% Drop Solar Thermal Sales

Quarterly solar thermal statistics from the UK’s Solar Trade Association (STA) covering 80 % of the total market volume show that solar thermal sales have decreased by 35% in the first quarter of 2013 when measured against the same period in 2012 (see chart on the left and attached...
April 11, 2013
EU Project: RELACS in Sustainable Holiday Accommodations

What have the Albena resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (see photo), the Bräuer restaurant in Weißkirchen, Austria, and the 2 Danby Cottages in the UK’s Forest of Dean in common? They are all part of the RELACS network. RELACS is short for “REnewabLe energy for tourist ACcommodation...