Obligation

November 27, 2020
“Balance your solar mandate between what the market is ready for and what you want to achieve”

Barcelona pioneered renewables obligations for solar energy in Europe. In August 2000, the city in the Spanish Catalonia region adopted solar building regulations that required a predefined share of solar-heated water for newly constructed buildings and those to be fully renovated or...
October 23, 2020
“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. The flaw was...
June 10, 2020
Solar requirement dropped from building regulations in Spain

During the last 8 years, the Spanish market for solar water heating was fairly stable, with capacity additions ranging between 200,000 and 250,000 m² annually (see chart). In 2019, the total was 207,000 m²(145 WM_th), 1 % above the prior year. Much of...
November 18, 2019
First district cooling regulation in the MENA region

Abu Dhabi now has its first comprehensive regulatory standard on district cooling. It is based on Act No. 11, which was passed in 2018 and put the responsibility for regulating the district cooling sector on the newly founded emirate’s Department of Energy. Following extensive consultations...
August 30, 2018
Solar building regulations in Kenya face legal challenge

Even after a transition period of more than five years, Kenya’s Solar Water Heating Regulations 2012 continue to be challenged. This May, a property developer filed a lawsuit, questioning their legality. They took effect on 25 November 2017, but their enforcement was...
August 17, 2018
Successful solar energy bylaw in Bengaluru, India

Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company, a public utility also known as BESCOM, has been successful in implementing a bylaw to encourage the use of solar energy. Since 2009, 1,234 million m² of collector area had been installed in Bengaluru and had supplied energy equivalent to about 611...
October 15, 2017
SHC Solar Award: Five Finalists with Successful Support Policies

Administrators of successful solar thermal support schemes are in the focus of this year’s Solar Award of the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC). The jury has chosen five finalists, of which one will receive the SHC Solar Award during the IEA SHC’s joint conference with ISES...
July 24, 2017
India: New Energy Building Regulations to Boost Solar Heating Market

This June, the Indian Ministry of Power published an updated version of the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) developed by the Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). The ECBC has established energy efficiency standards and a solar share of hot water demand for newbuilds and...
May 29, 2017
Panama: Solar Thermal to Benefit from New Building Regulations

On 17 November 2016, Panama’s secretary of energy approved Resolution No. 3142 to create a new Sustainable Construction Standard Guide with the aim of reducing energy consumption in newbuilds. The new building regulations target a 15 % reduction in energy use in newbuilds within one year...
February 1, 2017
Italy: Market Decline Continues Despite Appealing Incentives

Italy’s solar thermal market experienced another 10 % drop in 2016 despite the availability of at least two appealing incentive schemes: a 65 % tax reduction for small systems and Conto Termico 2...
October 24, 2016
Argentina: President’s System Order and Planned Energy Price Hikes Boost Solar Thermal

After having announced plans to sharply increase energy prices across the country, the Argentine government is said to approve new legislation for promoting solar thermal technology. A new bill, which is expected to be passed by the end of 2016, is thought to create a number of financial...
September 4, 2016
Dubai: No Solar Thermal System, No Building Permit

Dubai’s solar thermal obligation has had a positive impact on demand for solar water heating systems across the emirate. Since March 2012, newbuilds with a single owner, such as hotels, workers’ dwellings, private villas, shopping malls and public buildings, have had to cover at least 75 %...