Attractive solar cooling market in Italy
by Bärbel Epp

Three sorption chiller manufacturers launched solar thermal cooling projects in Italy last year, thanks to high investment subsidies by national support programme Conto Termico 2.0: Maya, an Italian joint-venture with the Japanese company Yazaki, Italian-based Solarinvent and German-based Fahrenheit.

Promoting solar heat in Panama
by Bärbel Epp

As part of the Termosolar Panamá programme, the fifth Café Solar was held on 14 May. In all, 19 journalists and representatives for the local press attended the event. The photo shows Rosilena Lindo, coordinator of the support scheme at UNEP, while she was explaining key issues for communicating the benefits of solar heat.

PV-Thermal collector area tops 1 million
by Bärbel Epp

PV-Thermal systems are gaining ever more traction: For the first time, they have now been included in the Solar Heat Worldwide report. Data supplied by 26 manufacturers from 11 countries indicates that more than 1 million m² of PVT collector area has been sold globally so far.

Regional Sustainable Energy Centres join IEA SHC
by Bärbel Epp

The UNIDO-coordinated Regional Sustainable Energy Centres will become sponsor members of the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling programme. The seven Regional Centres have the official mandate of more than 90 Ministers of Energy to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency within the respective region. They cover most of the non-OECD countries, including least developed and small island developing states.