Inarsind Bergamo: Ultime notizie

ESTEC 2007

High Growth Potential for Solar Thermal Energy
European conference discusses the prospects for solar thermal energy
Brussels/Berlin, 29 March 2007– the solar thermal market is booming. According to surveys
conducted by the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), the European market
grew by 35% to more than 2.7 million m² collector area in 2006, with the new solar thermal
capacity exceeding 1.900 MWth(preliminary figures) As the market grows, however, so do the
challenges faced by the solar thermal industry. The future development of the European and
worldwide markets, the most efficient market launch programmes, new collector and storage
technologies as well as process heat and solar air conditioning are important topics affecting
the industry. These and underlying policy frameworks will be discussed at the 3rd European
Solar Thermal Conference, estec2007, which is taking place from 19- 20 June 2007 in
Freiburg, Germany. The conference is being held prior to Intersolar 2007, Europe’s largest
trade fair for solar technology. The conference programme is now available online at
www.estec2007.org.
estec provides an international platform for discussing the latest developments in the solar
thermal industry. The two-day conference is aimed at experts and decision-makers from
industry, research and politics. “We were extremely delighted to have received more than
100 conference papers,“ says Raffaele Piria, Policy Director at the European Solar Thermal
Industry Federation (ESTIF). ESTIF is hosting estec2007 and at the same time sponsoring
Intersolar. The conference is being organised by the German Solar Industry Association
(BSW-Solar) in collaboration with Intersolar 2007. “The high quality of the submitted
conference abstracts underlines the importance of estec2007 as the world’s most important
solar thermal conference,“ states Piria.
In addition to policy frameworks, the opening presentations at estec2007 will discuss the
latest market developments and prospects for solar thermal. These will be viewed
particularly in the context of the resolution adopted by the European Council on 9 March
2007 to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 20% by 2020. Distinguished
speakers will outline future technological developments and the first results from the
European Solar Thermal Technology Platform ESTTP. The conference will focus, amongst
other things, on presenting the development of the most important European and
international solar thermal markets.
“The emerging solar thermal industry needs sound information on the market and the
technological trends,“ explains Gerhard Stryi-Hipp, Managing Director of the German Solar
Industry Association (BSW-Solar). “It is only then that investment decisions such as whether
to increase production or to launch into the export business can be specifically planned. In
this regard, estec2007 offers decision-makers from the international solar power industry the
world’s best information platform,“ according to Stryi-Hipp.

Successful European marketing models are included in the programme, as well as country
reports from all over the world. Among others, Roger Hackstock, Managing Director of the
solar thermal association Austria Solar, reports on the “ European Solar Day” and the
experience had in Austria. Groups of presentations on the possibilities of marketing, quality
assurance, standards and certification as well as solar thermal technical innovations,
including the utilisation of process heat and solar air conditioning as well as the latest
collectors and storage developments round of the comprehensive programme.
The conference takes place from 19-20 June 2007 in the Konzerthaus in Freiburg
(Germany), and is supported by the European Community under their Intelligent Energy –
Europe programme. Registration at the reduced early booking price is possible up to 7 May.
Further information on the conference is available online at www.estec2007.org. Users can
also subscribe to the newsletter, which in the run-up to the conference provides monthly
information on the development of the international solar thermal markets and the most
important conference topics.
The conference will be immediately followed by Intersolar 2007, Europe’s largest trade fair
for the solar power industry, which takes place at the Exhibition Centre from 21-23 June.
Contact:
Silvia Döffinger
Tel. +49 30 2977788 11
doeffinger@estec2007.org
Information about estec2007
estec2007 is a conference of the Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) organi

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