The solar thermal market across Europe shrank again in 2014. The overall amount of newly-installed collector area fell by 7%. Nonetheless, some countries are growing against the trend.
Which approach works best for commercial solar thermal? Several participants presented their successful business models in a webinar. S&WE recaps the most interesting points they mentioned.
The Berlin-based start-up company perSolar unveiled a new off-grid parabolic trough collector at the Intersolar Europe in Munich. It allows conventional pipes to be used as absorber tubes.
The Austrian OEM solar collector manufacturer GREENoneTEC has now begun selling solar energy systems under its own name for the first time. In Central and Northern Europe, however, this will go largely unnoticed.
At the start of the Intersolar Europe, particularly innovative solutions in the areas 'Photovoltaics' and 'Solar Projects in Europe' received the Intersolar Award. The prize was awarded for the eighth time as part of an official ceremony at the trade fair's Innovation Exchange.
Intersolar Europe has opened its doors. More than 1,000 exhibitors present their products and services on the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry in Munich.
Solar thermal power plants with highly concentrating collectors that are located in deserts usually have an abundance of sunlight to generate energy with. Unfortunately, the mirrors must also be cleaned regularly and water is scarce and expensive in such regions. Maintenance work in remote areas is time-consuming and not exactly inexpensive.
Here you can find a small selection of comprehensive market overvies from the solar thermal sector:
Market Overview: Vacuum Tube Collectors
Market Overview: Flat Plate Collectors
Market Overview: Solar Stations
Photovoltaic Feed