International Energy Agency’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme
The IEA Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) Programme has over 35 years of international collaborative work in the field of research, development, demonstration (RD&D) and test methods for solar thermal energy and solar buildings. The results of this work are available for researchers, policy makers, industry, utility and business representatives, builders, architects and teachers
The IEA SHC Programme is a member-based Programme with 20 member countries and 5 member organizations. Its mission is “To enhance collective knowledge and application of solar heating and cooling through international collaboration to fulfill its vision of solar thermal energy meeting 50% of low temperature heating and cooling demand by 2050.”
Highlighted in the section below are some of our most recent publications:
Namibia study comparing thermosiphon and PV-to-heat systems sparks interest at ISEC 2026
ISEC 2026 in Graz, Austria, became a major international meeting point for the energy transition. Around 550 experts from 42 countries gathered to discuss technological developments, global research cooperation, regulatory frameworks and renewable energy projects. The conference was organized for the fourth time by the Austrian research institute AEE INTEC …
Webinar to introduce Eurosun2026 and SolarPaces 2026 cooperation
The international solar thermal community will gather in Freiburg, Germany, from 14 to 18 September 2026 for EuroSun2026, one of the sector’s leading scientific conferences. At the same time, Germany will also host SolarPACES 2026, creating a unique opportunity for closer collaboration between the global communities focusing on solar heat, …
Main takeaways from IEA SHC Task 71: Towards unified metrics of LCA and LCoH for heating technologies
Karl-Anders Weiß has spent the past three years intensively working on the life cycle and cost assessment of alternative heating technologies. The researcher from the German institute Fraunhofer ISE has led Task 71 of the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme on this very topic, which has now concluded after …
Momentum builds for solar thermal in Poland: Major plant, new tenders and EU Project LIGHT
The beginning of the year has brought a series of important developments for Poland’s solar thermal sector. Construction has started on the country’s largest solar district heating plant – an 12.3 MW installation in Gliwice in southern Poland (see photo) – with more calls for tenders for similar projects expected …
“We need tailed concentrating optics to boost the hydrogen production without cooking the reactor”
One of the strengths of the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme is its ability to bring together scientists working on similar topics from across continents to exchange ideas. This was once again successfully demonstrated within Task 72 on Solar Photoreactors for the Production of Fuels and Chemicals. Prof. Craig …
Apply now for the IEA SHC Solar Award with a solar thermal innovative project
The International Energy Agency’s Solar Heating and Cooling Programme has opened applications for the SHC Solar Award 2026, inviting companies, business consortiums and public entities worldwide to submit innovative solar thermal solutions. The competition recognizes initiatives that significantly advance the adoption of solar heating and cooling technologies and expand their …
Bridging the gap between PCM research and real-world storage
In recent years, research into compact thermal energy storage has focused primarily on the development of storage materials. This focus is now set to broaden. The IEA SHC Programme has launched a new research group dedicated to Components for Thermal Energy Storage. “We would like to bridge the gap between …
“Our biggest success was defining a protocol for characterization of storage materials”
The newly started IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme Task 75 on Thermal Energy Storage Material aims at taking the successes of previous task work and making them accessible for other research groups. In charge of this communication effort is Professor Frédéric Kuznik from the National Institute for Applied Science …
Hybrid solar collector unlocks triple solar energy harvesting
A solar collector can do more than just generate heat. As a hybrid collector, it can simultaneously produce fuel and electricity as well. Scientists from IEA SHC Task 72 are working on the development of such versatile solar elements for solar photoreactors for the production of fuels and chemicals. The …
Smart controls and low PV costs drive growth in PV hot water
PV hot water systems are growing fast in several regions. Growth is strongest in countries with high PV market penetration or less mature electricity systems. Falling PV hardware prices and smarter control technologies are driving this trend. In a recent IEA SHC Solar Academy webinar, UK-based consultant Tony Day explained …
PVT prices are falling while local production and supply chains continue to strengthen
The European PVT collector industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with manufacturers focusing on increasing production efficiency, improving quality assurance, and reducing dependence on imported components, particularly from China. These developments are the findings of a workshop on production and supply chain strategies for PVT collectors, organized by the PVT …
Technical training and gender empowerment: solar thermal experts gather in Windhoek
Technical and social issues were on the agenda at the SOLTRAIN+/IEA SHC Task 69 Joint Symposium held in Windhoek, Namibia, at the end of September. The first day focused on standards and certification training, while the second day centred on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The event was jointly organised …
