Thanks to technological innovation, there are various ways to harness the sun’s free energy for solar thermal applications. Since its establishment in the 1980s, the solar thermal sector has been ensuring continuous improvement of its technologies by maintaining strong internal and external links to research on solar heat.
Solar Heat Europe is particularly involved in contributing to research on solar heat by being part of the Secretariat of the Renewable Heating and Cooling platform and the European Solar Thermal Technology Panel and, most recently, by contributing to the establishment of a Solar Thermal Implementation Working Group part of the SET Plan.
European Solar Thermal Technology Panel
The European Solar Thermal Technology Panel (ESTTP) brings together representatives of companies, associations and research institutes involved in the solar thermal sector. ESTTP was launched as a Technology Platform in 2005 by Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF and evolved in 2008 into what is known todayas the European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETIP), under which the ESTTP currently operates.
The ESTTP is led by an elected Steering Committee and has over 500 individual Platform members. These experts cooperate to identify the main technological challenges for the sector, be it for
- Solar thermal systems for buildings
- Large-scale solar thermal systems
- Market deployment, strategy and scenario development
These are compiled in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for Solar Thermal Technologies and promoted by Solar Heat Europe and the ESTTP into R&I policy measures and programmes at EU and national level.
Solar Heat Europe is the Secretariat of ESTTP, coordinating efforts towards a common solar thermal strategy and vision by organising meetings, conferences, networking events, consultations and research activities, and by developing resources and publications relying on the platform and communicating to European policymakers the common solar thermal vision.
European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling
The European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETIP) brings together stakeholders from different renewable heating and cooling technologies, namely from the solar thermal, biomass, geothermal and heat pump sectors – including the related industries such as district heating and cooling, thermal energy storage, and hybrid systems – to define a common strategy for increasing the use of renewable energy technologies for heating and cooling. The Platform has been officially endorsed by the European Commission in 2008. In 2016, it became a European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP) and was included as part of the European Commission’s new SET-Plan governance structure.
As an ETIP, the Platform carries out important tasks related to the SET Plan:
- Upon request of the Steering Group, propose measures at EU and/or national levels (including regional level) and/or by industry that seek to achieve the specific SET Plan action in the areas of their activities
- Continue to establish and update Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas per technology area, from basic research to market uptake, identifying priorities in the short, medium and long term, considering the relevant EERA Joint Programmes; discuss where appropriate with the experts from MS/AC’s and Commission services
- Identify priorities of cross-cutting nature, e.g., education & training, socio-economics aspects, international cooperation
- Identify innovation barriers, notably those related to regulation and financing
- Report on the implementation of R&I activities at European, national and industrial levels in order to support the work of SETIS
- Develop knowledge-sharing mechanisms that help bringing R&I results to deployment.
SET Plan Solar Thermal Implementation Working Group
The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is a key initiative in boosting research and innovation in clean, efficient and cost-competitive energy technologies towards a climate-neutral energy system. Established in 2007, it became one of the main instruments of the Energy Union’s 5th pillar for Research & Innovation. The SET Plan promotes cooperation among EU Member States and associated countries, companies and research institutes.
Various Implementation Working Groups (IWG) for different technologies exist (e.g., PV, wind, geothermal, nuclear, CCUs etc.), including one for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).Solar Heat Europe has for long promoted the inclusion of Non-Concentrated Solar Thermal Technologies (NCST) in the scope of the SET Plan. This process started in 2023 and led to the successful addition of NCST to join the IWG of CSP/CST. The extended SET Plan Implementation Working Group started operating in October 2024.
Our policy demand:
Research and Innovation funding with dedicated calls on renewable heat, namely solar thermal, are needed in order to keep EU-based companies competitive and facilitate their investments in research and innovation. Dedicated calls at European and national level should prioritise SMEs and facilitate regional cooperation. For speeding up the integration of solar heat in industry, it is required to increase substantially the investment in demonstration projects.
European Solar Thermal Technology Panel
The European Solar Thermal Technology Panel (ESTTP) brings together representatives of companies, associations and research institutes involved in the solar thermal sector. ESTTP was launched as a Technology Platform in 2005 by Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF and evolved in 2008 into what is known todayas the European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETIP), under which the ESTTP currently operates.
The ESTTP is led by an elected Steering Committee and has over 500 individual Platform members. These experts cooperate to identify the main technological challenges for the sector, be it for
- Solar thermal systems for buildings
- Large-scale solar thermal systems
- Market deployment, strategy and scenario development
These are compiled in the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for Solar Thermal Technologies and promoted by Solar Heat Europe and the ESTTP into R&I policy measures and programmes at EU and national level.
Solar Heat Europe is the Secretariat of ESTTP, coordinating efforts towards a common solar thermal strategy and vision by organising meetings, conferences, networking events, consultations and research activities, and by developing resources and publications relying on the platform and communicating to European policymakers the common solar thermal vision.
European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling
The European Technology and Innovation Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC-ETIP) brings together stakeholders from different renewable heating and cooling technologies, namely from the solar thermal, biomass, geothermal and heat pump sectors – including the related industries such as district heating and cooling, thermal energy storage, and hybrid systems – to define a common strategy for increasing the use of renewable energy technologies for heating and cooling. The Platform has been officially endorsed by the European Commission in 2008. In 2016, it became a European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP) and was included as part of the European Commission’s new SET-Plan governance structure.
As an ETIP, the Platform carries out important tasks related to the SET Plan:
- Upon request of the Steering Group, propose measures at EU and/or national levels (including regional level) and/or by industry that seek to achieve the specific SET Plan action in the areas of their activities
- Continue to establish and update Strategic Research and Innovation Agendas per technology area, from basic research to market uptake, identifying priorities in the short, medium and long term, considering the relevant EERA Joint Programmes; discuss where appropriate with the experts from MS/AC’s and Commission services
- Identify priorities of cross-cutting nature, e.g., education & training, socio-economics aspects, international cooperation
- Identify innovation barriers, notably those related to regulation and financing
- Report on the implementation of R&I activities at European, national and industrial levels in order to support the work of SETIS
- Develop knowledge-sharing mechanisms that help bringing R&I results to deployment.
SET Plan Solar Thermal Implementation Working Group
The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is a key initiative in boosting research and innovation in clean, efficient and cost-competitive energy technologies towards a climate-neutral energy system. Established in 2007, it became one of the main instruments of the Energy Union’s 5th pillar for Research & Innovation. The SET Plan promotes cooperation among EU Member States and associated countries, companies and research institutes.
Various Implementation Working Groups (IWG) for different technologies exist (e.g., PV, wind, geothermal, nuclear, CCUs etc.), including one for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).Solar Heat Europe has for long promoted the inclusion of Non-Concentrated Solar Thermal Technologies (NCST) in the scope of the SET Plan. This process started in 2023 and led to the successful addition of NCST to join the IWG of CSP/CST. The extended SET Plan Implementation Working Group started operating in October 2024.