In this issue

Mexico: No More Loans for Low-Pressure Solar Thermal Systems

Bulgaria: Sunny Mood at SEE Solar 2012 in Sofia

Portugal: Last Quarter Exceeds Expectations

Tunisia: CDM to fund Solar Water Heaters

Europe: Three Basic Guidelines Help Regional and Global Market Development

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China: 300 Companies Produce 95 % of Annual Sales Volume
China: 300 Companies Produce 95 % of Annual Sales Volume

Dear Solarthermalworld.org Reader,

If you start in the solar thermal market today, you’ll be big in 2 or 3 years” Hongzhi Cheng said in an interview with Solarthermalworld.org. Cheng is head of the Chinese market research company The Sun’s Vision in Dezhou. The company with 30 employees has been responsible for a number of publications, books, a monthly magazine and two websites. Cheng points out that market concentration is occurring rapidly and that it is difficult for solar water heater manufacturers to get government approval for an IPO. Read the complete interview here.

Enjoy our most recent Newsletter!
The editorial team

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Mexico: No More Loans for Low-Pressure Solar Thermal Systems
by Eva Augsten
Low-pressure solar thermal systems - such as water-filled, double-glass vacuum tube collectors - are no longer eligible to receive loans from the 'Hipoteca Verde' (Green Mortgage) programme in Mexico. This is the result of changes made by the National Commission for the Efficient Use of Energy (CONUEE) to its technical specifications for solar water heaters. These recent changes, however, do not affect solar thermal systems which work at pressures of 3 bar or more.
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Bulgaria: Sunny Mood at SEE Solar 2012 in Sofia
by Frank Stier
 
Sunny Mood at SEE Solar 2012 in Sofia
Since its beginning in 2005, the South-East European Exhibition in Sofia, Bulgaria, has become a success story. Its dynamic development reflects the growing interest in eco-friendly energy solutions - not only in Bulgaria, but also in other Balkan states, such as Macedonia, Serbia and Romania. In 2011, 64% of the exhibition space was rented out by manufacturers and consultants from the solar energy sector (solar heat and solar electricity), which is why the event organiser Via Expo decided to introduce the SEE Solar – South-East European Solar Exhibition 2012 as a fair within the fair.

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Portugal: Last Quarter Exceeds Expectations
by Filipa Cardoso
In the last quarter of 2011, the Portuguese solar thermal market has seen a sudden spike in sales, allowing the newly installed collector area per year to surpass 125,000 m² (88 MWth). The surprising development seems to be a result of two tax changes that have taken place at the beginning of this year: since January 2012, the VAT rate of all renewable energy equipment has been increased by an additional 10%. At the same time, energy prices of fossil fuels have risen as well, because electricity and natural gas have been charged with a VAT rate of 23% since the beginning of this year.
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Tunisia: CDM to fund Solar Water Heaters
by Mohamed Houssem Belhaouaney
 
tunisia
After three years of preparation, the first Tunisian Programme of Activities (PoAs) for solar water heating was registered successfully with the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It is only the second African PoA focusing exclusively on solar water heaters after the “SASSA Low Pressure Solar Water Heater Programme” in South Africa, which started in March 2011. In case of the Solar Water Heater Programme in Tunisia, the stated goal of the PoA was to install around 30,000 SWH per year in households, thereby replacing carbon-intensive grid electricity and fossil fuels currently used to provide domestic hot water.
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Europe: Three Basic Guidelines Help Regional and Global Market Development
by Bärbel Epp
The European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) has just launched three comprehensive guidelines regarding the Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative (GSWH). On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the ESTIF team put together three practical handbooks entitled “Guide to Framework Conditions Policy”, “Guide to Awareness Raising Campaigns” and “Guide to Standards and Certification”. These guidelines were created to help stimulate sustainable solar water heater market development in different countries worldwide.
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NEWS TICKER
China: Beijing Mandates Solar Hot Water Systems
Russia: New Solar Collector Production Launched in Penza
Bulgaria: Sofia Seeks ESCO model for Solar Systems on Public Buildings
Germany: Waiting for Politicians to Act
India: 640 m² Collector Area and 40,000 Litres of Tanks Paid Back in 4 Years