The European solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) on November 3rd, 2016 published a summary of its annual overview on the European solar Thermal markets for the 2015 year.

The European solar thermal market is currently facing a contraction of the newly installed capacity, representing a decrease of 6% in sales compared to 2014, ESTIF reports.

The summary underlines the relevance of the renewable heating and cooling (RES-HC) sector and that a stronger contribution of RES-HC can push Member States closer to their 2020 targets and the European Union closer to reach the Energy Union goals.

“Solar heating and cooling still plays an important role in the European energy strategy, allowing for decentralised solutions to meet the heating and cooling demand in Europe, replacing the dependency on imported fossil fuels and creating local jobs,” said Pedro Dias, ESTIF’s Secretary General.

The report also shows that the implementation of the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) for solar thermal energy is below target, confirming the last assessment made by the European Commission.