PRESS RELEASE
Fundamental economics remain very positive for
solar thermal
European solar thermal market affected
by strong decline in Germany’s heating
equipment sales
Brussels, 21 December 2007. After four years of very dynamic growth, the European solar thermal (ST) market registers a 10% decrease in sales in 2007. Many factors contributed to a 33% decline of Germany’s market. ESTIF urges policy makers to implement solar obligations to speedup the market penetration of solar thermal.
“We have seen very positive trends in some countries, but a dramatic
decline in the German solar thermal market”, says Gerhard
Rabensteiner, President of the European Solar Thermal Industry
Federation (ESTIF).” For us, this means: We need to make the benefits of solar thermal clearer to the consumers. And we urge policy
makers to put an end to stop-&-go support. The industry needs a stable support framework for solar thermal”.
”We urge policy makers
to put an end to stop-&go support”, says ESTIF
president
Due to the unusual market development, ESTIF publishes provisional
market estimations for 2007 already before the end of the year. The
final market statistics for 2007 will be published, as usual, in June.
Good two digit growth rates are being registered in France, Italy and
Spain, while Greece grew moderately and Austria is expected to
stagnate in 2007, though at the highest per capita level in continental
Europe. However, these positive developments have been more than
outweighed by the dramatic decline of the German ST market, that
dropped by at least 33% in 2007 compared to the exceptionally successful 2006 , when a 58% growth had been registered in Germany.
Solar thermal market
grew at double-digit
rates in France, Italy and
Spain
The longer statement published by ESTIF includes an analysis of the
reasons for the difficulties of the ST market in Germany in 2007.
For 2008, the solar industry expects a return to growth, with accelerated growth especially in the Mediterranean countries. Also in Germany growth is expected, though it will likely take more than one year
to achieve the market size of 2006.
In the medium term, the perspectives for growth of ST remain brilliant,
as the economic fundamentals are positive.
Return to EU-wide
growth expected for
2008
2
The sector expects a strong push also from the upcoming EU Directive on Renewables that for the first time will include measures to
promote renewable heating and cooling. Establishing more stable and
effective political framework conditions is crucial to avoid stop-&-go
market development, thus creating the conditions for achieving economies of scales, from the production lines to the local distribution and
installation. Such temporary crisis like in 2002 and 2007 must be
avoided in the future, as they can hit hardly several companies in a
sector still largely dominated by SMEs, including small local installers.
ESTIF has recently published a detailed position paper (see
www.estif.org – news of 9/11/2007) indicating the requirements of the
solar thermal sector on the upcoming EU Renewables Directive and
on national policies. Extensive guidelines on best practice policies
can be found in the Solar Thermal Action Plan for Europe
(www.estif.org/stap).
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Further Information:
ESTIF weblink: www.estif.org
Solar Thermal Action Plan: www.estif.org/stap
ESTIF is proud to support the Sustainable Energy
Europe Campaign: www.sustenergy.org
Press Contact:
Uwe Trenkner, Secretary General
ESTIF
Renewable Energy House
Rue d’Arlon 63-65
B-1040 Bruxelles
Belgium
Tel. office:
Tel. mobile:
e-mail:
Web:
+32 2 546 19 38
+32 499 265 865
info@estif.org
www.estif.org
Please note: The ESTIF office will be closed 22/12/07 – 01/01/08
New EU Directive on
Renewables to provide a
push in the heating and
cooling sector