Renewable heating systems market is pulling ahead thanks to the rising price of fossil fuel and the proliferation of heating technologies such as heat pumps and pellet heating systems, says Intersolar, organizers of solar exhibitions.
One of the main focuses of Intersolar 2014 will be renewable heating systems, Intersolar said.
The growing popularity of green energy building concept of is another driving force for the market of renewable heating systems. The revised version of the European Directive on Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEB) passed in May 2011 requires new buildings to have greatly reduced levels of energy consumption, which should be at “nearly zero”, from 2020, Intersolar said.
Another new EU regulation on eco-design requirements for water heaters and hot water storage tanks –in short, energy labeling – will provide additional triggers for growth in the renewable heating systems market, according to Intersolar.
Solar heating systems can occupy a significant share of this opportunity, Intersolar says. This is because only solar water heaters are able to earn the highest label, A+++.
Planning a heating system based on renewable energy requires a comprehensive knowledge of various technologies available and the best ways of combining them.
There are several challenges associated with integrating renewable heating systems into old buildings. In today’s scenario the possibilities for optimally integrating solar thermal technology into existing buildings are limited.
For instance, if the nature of the location only allows for the drinking water to be heated by solar energy, intelligent complete solutions are often required for the heating system, which are tailored to the specific building and optimally integrate other generators and systems in addition to solar thermal technology.
Highly diverse combinations of solar thermal technology, wood-chip or pellet heating systems, mini combined heat and power plants, cogeneration systems and many more are therefore possible.
Even electrical heating systems such as heat pumps, accessories such as outside air heat exchangers and technologies for using geothermal heat must be considered in order to achieve optimal renewable heat generation.
To this end, heat generation, storage, distribution and transfer, as well as heating regulators, must be considered together as an overall system and proportioned correctly, Intersolar said.
Intersolar Europe 2014 takes place from June 4-6 at Messe München.
picture source: eastgreenenergy