SHC and SWC 2017: Early Bird Registration Now Available
Benefit from an early bird discount by registering for the joint solar conferences in autumn in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, until 31 August. You need to register only once to attend both the SHC...
China: Sunrain Finalises Strategic Cooperation Agreements
The Chinese Sunrain group, the world's biggest collector manufacturer, is broadening its product portfolio to include large-scale solar thermal plants. Sunrain had already made the first step towards globalising its strategic partnerships by establishing a...
IEA SHC: Solar Heat Worldwide Highlights Remarkable Achievements and Addresses Challenges
In late May, the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC) published its annual report titled Solar Heat Worldwide (see the attached document). It is the most comprehensive study of solar heating and cooling markets around the globe and has been referenced by international...
IEA Task 55: Solar District Heating Means Big Business
Solar district heating is attractive business. Not only does this become obvious when looking at the 347 MWth of newly installed SDH capacity in Denmark in 2016, but also when one hears about...
Netherlands: Solar Thermal Benefits from SDE+ Solar Heat Tariff
In the Netherlands, solar district heating plants with a capacity of 140 kWth or above can benefit from a feed-in tariff scheme called SDE+, which pays a certain amount per kWh of energy. Under the scheme, operators of renewable energy plants can apply for a subsidy to bridge the...
IRENA: Renewable District Heating and Cooling Roadmap to 2030
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has published an industry roadmap for Renewable Energy in District Heating and Cooling (DHC) as part of its REmap 2030 project. This study analysed the current state of the DHC market in eleven countries – with a focus on district...
Denmark: Solar District Heating Capacity Nearly Doubles in 2016
Last year was a record-breaking one for new solar district heating (SDH) installations in Denmark. With 31 new SDH systems and 5 plant expansions, the newly installed collector area grew at double the rate of 2015 and totalled 495,226 m² (347 MWth). The year prior saw 15 plants...
Europe: Comparing Solar Keymark Data on Collectors with Foil or Double Glass Cover to Ones Without
Denmark's success story in solar district heating, with 2016 having been another record year which almost doubled newly installed collector area to around 500,000 m², showcases the large potential of this type of application across Europe. Cost cuts in the supply chain are key: Two vital...
Poland: Solar for More Efficient District Heating Networks
Poland's Mazovia Region is one of nine regional actors which have worked together with the Institute for Renewable Energy (IEO, formerly EC BREC), the Polish partner, on the Horizon 2020 project SDHp2m: Solar District Heating – From Policy to Market. On 16 March 2017, IEO organised...
Austria: New Medium-Temperature Collectors Show Remarkable Yield in District Heating Use
During the last seven years, a group of scientists has monitored selected large solar thermal installations in Austria on behalf of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. The gathered data confirms that these plants have been reliable and produce satisfactory yields. Particularly the new...
Silkeborg's solar district heating to cover 20 % of heating demand
The Danish town of Silkeborg now holds the record for having the world's largest solar heating system. The SDH plant of 156,694 m² came online as scheduled in December 2016 after only seven months of construction. Municipal utility Silkeborg Forsyning intends to use the harnessed solar energy to...
Denmark: New Solar District Heating World Record
The Danish town of Silkeborg now holds the record for having the world's largest solar heating system. The SDH plant of 156,694 m² (110 MWth) came online as scheduled in December 2016 after only seven months of construction. Municipal utility Silkeborg Forsyning intends...