Solar Heating and Cooling for a Sustainable Energy Future in Europe - a Strategic Research Agenda

In this document from 2009 details the current trends and technological perspective in ESTTP's vision for 2030. The strategic research agenda and the research infrastructure needed for reaching the goals as well as a deployment road map for Europe are also described.

This vision, deployment road map and research agenda was developed by the European Solar Thermal Technology Platform (ESTTP). The ESTTP was set-up by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) and the European Renewable Energy Research Centres Agency (EUREC Agency). In the platform about 100 leading experts in the field of solar thermal research and applications co-operated to write this report.

The main findings of this report are:

Current status

• The demand for heating and cooling is 49% of the total energy demand in Europe, most of which is needed at low- to medium temperatures (up to 250°C). 
• Technologies are available or can be developed to cover in principle most of this demand.
• Solar thermal applications do not depend on finite sources and solar energy is available everywhere.
• Already today, solar thermal energy for domestic hot water preparation and for space heating is a developed technology with a high penetration rates in some countries.

Vision 2030

• Solar thermal can cover 50% of the total heat demand, if the heat demand is first reduced by energy saving measures.
• To reach this goal new applications have to be developed and deployed. The main ones are the active solar building, the active solar renovation, industrial applications up to 250 °C, solar heat for district heating and cooling.

Solar Heating and Cooling for a Sustainable Energy Future in Europe -