Based in Brussels, the International Copper Association (ICA) Europe is the leading advocate for the copper industry in Europe. As ICA’s European branch, the organisation represents companies that mine, smelt and recycle copper for use across the economy, in the electricity system, buildings, transport and industry. Through a team of policy, industry and scientific experts, ICA Europe promotes copper as an essential material for achieving the EU’s ambition of a resilient, climate-neutral Europe and seeks to ensure that EU policies enable the sustainable production of copper to serve Europe’s future needs.
Solarthermalworld.org was initiated by ICA Europe in 2008 with the aim of providing stakeholders from research, public and private sector all around the globe with first-class information about solar heating and cooling to stimulate market growth. The ICA Europe has supported the hosting of the website until 2021 as well as the content gathering continuously since 2008.
Please see below our most recent articles:
Norwegian investor sees huge potential for building-integrated solar solutions
Inaventa Solar, a new start-up business based in Norway, specialises in manufacturing and designing building-integrated solar thermal systems. Founded in the last three months of 2019, the company has already started up an assembly line to make flat plate collectors at its factory in Kvelsrud Gård near Oslo (see photo) …
GGF funds 1,400 solar thermal systems in 10 years
The Luxembourg-based Green for Growth Fund (GGF) has recently entered its 11th year in operation. A pioneering public-private partnership, it was launched by the European Investment Bank and the German KfW bank in December 2009 and supports energy efficiency and renewable energy projects primarily in southeast Europe. Since its founding, …
Solar requirement dropped from building regulations in Spain
During the last 8 years, the Spanish market for solar water heating was fairly stable, with capacity additions ranging between 200,000 and 250,000 m2 annually (see chart). In 2019, the total was 207,000 m2 (145 WMth), 1 % above the prior year. Much of the growth was the result of Spain’s …
Webinar: Strategies in the digital world
Social media channels gained further importance over the last years. Politicians all around the world are tweeting to get their messages out. Lobbyists are networking via digital media, LinkedIn groups are discussing new trends in research and technology, Facebook is replacing company websites etc. You need to find your own …
Austrian solar initiative to benefit from Covid-19 recovery plan
Solar thermal manufacturers and resellers based in Austria are coping well with the economic crisis brought on by the global Covid-19 pandemic. A survey Austria Solar conducted among its members found that more than half of the 16 businesses that responded had gained new orders under these difficult circumstances. Only …
Sunny prospects for Cyprus
Homeowners and businesses in Cyprus showed growing interest in solar thermal technology over the last two years. Collector area additions on the island increased by 5 % in 2018 and by 24 % in 2019 after a small decline in 2017. The growth in collector capacity was the result of …
Map shows solar thermal potential of buildings in Bern
Municipalities play a major role in the transition to a clean energy economy. Bern, Switzerland‘s capital, is a good example of this. Since a narrow majority of 50.1 % of the voting population rejected an amendment to the Canton of Bern’s energy act in February 2019, the municipal council has …
Solar cooling – insights into a niche market
Solar thermal cooling remained a niche market in Europe in 2019, as air conditioning based on heat pumps and PV generators got all the attention. Nevertheless, there were a handful of solar system integrators which defied the odds and installed several systems last year. A survey of cooling system integrators …
Green hydrogen and the associations’ point of view
Green hydrogen is being heavily discussed in the centres of power in Europe – Brussels and Berlin: The European Commission is working on a Clean Hydrogen Alliance while the German government is debating its national hydrogen strategy. Recent statements by multiple trade associations show that there are diverging views on …
Climate neutrality will become binding EU target
The European Commission’s implementation plan for Europe’s Green Deal is moving forward in spite of the Covid-19 virus outbreak. The Directorate-General for Climate Action published its proposal for a European Climate Law, including regulations on how to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, in early March, within the expected time frame …
World’s largest flat plate collector manufacturers in 2019
One-half of the world’s largest flat plate collector manufacturers participating in the most recent survey expressed satisfaction with how business developed in 2019. One-third achieved production volumes ‘as expected’ and only one-fifth seemed dissatisfied. The large manufacturers again managed to increase production by, on average, 9 %, a slightly higher …
Munich strengthens its climate targets
As part of the most recent Fridays for Future protests in late November 2019, a huge crowd of young people gathered in the centre of Munich in southeast Germany, calling for more climate action. Barely three weeks later, the city council responded to their demands by declaring a state of …
