Solar Thermal – abundant energy for heating and cooling Ole Pilgaard European Solar Thermal Industry Federation

Solar energy today Solar energy can be used in different ways: Photovoltaic (direct conversion of light into electricity) Solar thermal power (steam turbines using solar energy as heat source to produce electricity) But by far the largest application of solar energy is for thermal use: heating and cooling (“Solar Thermal”)

World wide solar energy production 2004

Typical applications of solar thermal Domestic hot water, space heating

Emerging applications of solar thermal Solar industrial process heat Solar desalination Solar cooling

Heating sector: the neglected giant EU-25: shares of final energy consumption (Includes 130 Mtoe of oil)

Huge variations in the use of solar thermal

Example: Austria vs. Europe annually installed collector area in m 2 Sweden BelgiumDenmark Great Britain Source: ESTIF 2005 Netherlands France

Strong effects of support policies Climatic conditions are clearly not the reason for the huge variations between countries Support policies have played a major role in the growth of solar thermal Public support comes in the form of: Financial incentives Regulation R&D programmes Awareness campaigns Demonstration: Solar thermal on public buildings

Self-perpetuating success People find it natural to use solar thermal Architects foresee solar thermal as a standard feature in buildings Every installer offers solar thermal systems Costs go further down Further public support is not necessary Experience shows that once solar thermal has reached a critical mass in one country:

Renewable Heating Directive Since 2003, ESTIF has called for a EU Directive to promote Renewable Heating and Cooling The time is ripe: A broad coaltion supports the Directive already We believe: The Directive will be the decisive political measure towards a sustainable heating and cooling sector Thanks to Mechtild Rothe‘s initiative, the issue is currently discussed in the European Parliament