General NEWS Europe to install 1,249 MW of solar thermal in 2005 The solar thermal industry in
expected to install 119,000 kW-
2005 for the first time. The
increase the visibility of solar
Europe will install 1,248,940 kW
th this year, compared with
report does not tabulate capacity
thermal and "to show more
of thermal capacity during 2005,
150,500 last year and 112,700 in
installed in non-EU regions.
clearly that this technology can
according to the latest statistics
2003. The total installed capacity
The highest percentage growth
substantially contribute to the
from the European Solar Thermal
by the end of 2004 was
of installations last year was
overall energy supply," it
Industry Federation. Germany will
1,978,690 kW-th.
67%, reported both in Portugal
explains. The conversion factor
be the lead country with 595,000
Spain will be the fourth-largest
and Estonia. The Netherlands
used to calculate capacity from
kW-th this year, up from 525,000
installer this year, at 105,000
had a 5% decrease in installed
collector area was agreed by
kW-th installed last year. That
kW-th, compared with
capacity over 2003.
experts of the International
capacity was an increase of 4%
63,000 in 2004 and 49,000 in
"Solar thermal has often been
Energy Agency Solar Heating &
over 2003, dominated by
2003, for a total capacity of
ignored in national and interna-
Cooling Programme and solar
472,500 of flat plate collectors
294,256 kW-th. Fifth spot is
tional energy statistics," the
thermal trade associations from
and 52,500 kW-th of vacuum
France, expected to install
report notes. "One of the key rea-
Europe and North America, using
collectors. By the end of 2004,
52,500 this year compared with
sons was the lack of energy-relat-
a factor of 0.7 kW-th per m2 of
Germany had 3,922,800 kW-th
36,400 last year and 27,230 in
ed data: solar thermal was count-
installed collector.
of installed solar thermal capacity.
2003, with a national total of
ed in square meters of collector
Germany is the traditional lead
Austria will install 140,000 kW-
191,870 kW-th.
area, which does not fit in with
market for solar thermal in
th this year, compared with
In France's overseas territories,
energy statistics. Therefore, solar
Europe, but that country has
127,816 last year and 116,844
the installation of solar thermal
thermal was often the only ener-
returned to a slower growth rate
kW-th in 2003. At the end of
collectors has always been higher
gy technology measured in a non-
which was not expected after
last year, the national installed
than the continental nation,
energy unit, or not shown at all."
strong sales in 2003, and the
capacity was 1,459,842 kW-th.
although the market in metro-
ESTIF now publishes statistical
report speculates that part of the
In third place will be Greece,
politan France will be larger in
data primarily in kW-th to
reason is the increased feed-in tariff for solar PV electricity, "which may have lured some
News in BRIEF Alanod acquires Interpane World market leader in aluminium surface treatment and producer of selective solar absorptive material Alanod has acquired Interpane Solar Beschichtungs GmbH & CO.KG - a market leader for highly selective absorbing copper web. This merger brings together two first class producers of highly selective solar absorptive material - Alanod with its know-how in aluminium surface treatment and Interpane as a leading supplier of semifinished production material for solar collectors. The newly founded company's name is Alanod-Sunselect GmbH & Co. KG. In future the new company will distribute the well-known product "mirotherm", the selective solar absorptive layer system on aluminium and also "sunselect", the highly selective absorbing copper-web. Contact: Alanod-Sunselect GmbH & Co. KG · Sohnreystr. 21 · 37697 Lauenförde, Germany. Tel: +49 5273 809-360; · Fax:
10 reFOCUS
July/August 2005
customers away from solar ther+49 5273 809-369;
[email protected]; www.sunselect.de
Sunways enters thin film market Sunways AG has entered into a cooperation agreement with Unaxis AG, Liechtenstein with the goal of jointly constructing a production unit for the manufacture of solar cells based on thin-film technology within two years. Sunways AG from Constance develops and produces innovative solutions and products for the generation of electricity from solar energy (solar cells and inverters). Contact: Sunways AG, Macairestraße 3 - 5, 78467 Konstanz, Germany. Tel: +49 7531 99677480; Fax: +49 7531 99677548;
[email protected]; www.sunways.de
Bringing RE to Chinese villages Shell Solar GmbH has won a contract to provide solar-powered electricity to 12 remote
villages in Qinghai Province, the People's Republic of China. Under the contract, valued at more than Euro 1.28 million (RMB13.6 million), Shell Solar will install centralised systems in the villages, part of a pilot programme funded jointly by the KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, the German state-owned development bank), and China's Ministry of Finance. The total installed power will be 80 kWp providing electricity to 551 households who have had no previous access to it. Installation of the systems is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2005. This builds on the earlier success of the Euro 2.7million contract awarded to Shell Solar GmbH under the same programme in early 2004. It involved the electrification of 1,300 households in 26 villages in Yunnan Province and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, with a total installed power of 200kWp. www.shell.com
mal." Enlarging the European Union has not substantially changed the unbalance in the continent's market for solar thermal, but there are significant changes in solar thermal capacity in operation. Although Europe leads the world in most renewable energy technologies, the EU holds only a small fraction of the world market for solar thermal, which is dominated by China with annual domestic sales of 7 GW-th (10 million m2 of collector surface). In Israel and Japan, the share of solar thermal per inhabitant is much larger than in Europe. "Solar thermal is a future oriented technology," it adds. "In the next decade, the global solar thermal market will develop to new dimensions. If Europe wants to keep and extend its technological strength in this area, the domestic European market must grow throughout the Union." www.estif.org
www.re-focus.net