FAQs

Solar thermal energy is a relatively new technology which has already shown enormous promise. It is a larger energy source than is commonly perceived. The Solar Thermal Report describessolar thermal energy technology in its various applications. Although ST power generation is probably more well known, ST collectors employ a much lower level of technology and convert far more of the sun’s energy into useful heat. Perhaps least well known and in its infancy, but a technology of the future, is ST cooling. The Solar Thermal Report describes the various technologies: collectors, receivers, heat storage systems and energy conversion units. The two principal generation alternatives are outlined; STEGS, the original dedicated ST generating technology and ISCCS, in which solar thermal power is integrated with fossil fuel power. When ABS published the first report in this series we were of the view that power generation was the dominant partner in the technologies but we now rate the low temperature end of the market as very significant. The last two or three years have seen strides forward in all of these technologies and large power generation projects are being developed. The major direct use solar thermal markets - China, USA, Turkey, Germany and Japan are outlined and current market sizes provided. The low temperature end of the global solar thermal market is currently dominated by China, USA, Turkey, Germany and Japan. Israel is important for per capita use but relatively small in total. Between them, they have 75% of the global market for solar thermal collectors and ancillary equipment. The industry has been concentrated primarily on small-sale use to date, with large systems for commercial application to generate power now developing.

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For more information on the rest of the topics we cover within the renewable energy market please go to our renewable energy market research page.