Which are the major solar thermal markets worldwide?

By far the largest solar thermal market in the world according to newly installed solar thermal capacity per year is China. In 2008, around 21 GW_th (30 million m²) were sold in China, which was around 80 % of the world global solar thermal market.

In Europe, Germany – the second biggest market in the world – is dominating. With its newly installed capacity of 1.13 GW^_th (1,615,000 m²) in 2009, the country reached a market share of 38 % within Europe.

Position three is held by Turkey, a dynamic solar thermal market which is estimated at 785 MW_th ( 1,120,000 m²).

Besides these front-runners, India, Brazil, Israel, Austria, Greece, USA, Japan, France, Italy, Spain and Australia are countries which reached a market volume of greater than 70 MW_th (100,000 m²) in 2007.

Further information:

Solarenergie 2007, Study by the Swiss bank Sarasin, November 2008 (Only available in German)

Solar thermal Markets in Europe. Trends and Market Statistics 2009, Study by European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), June 2009 (see the following link)