Project Categories: RHC-Platform Publications

Europe’s energy future is dependent on our ability to address today tomorrow’s energy challenges. These challenges must be looked at from different angles: the stability and predictability of energy costs; environmental and climatic impact of our energy production and consumption; security of supply and geostrategic political matters related to the control of the energy supply; the capacity to generate local investment and local jobs; and maintaining a technological edge. This will allow Europe to be competitive at global level in the multi-trillion renewable energy market. Today there is still a tendency to equate energy with electricity, even when it only represents less than 25 percent of the final energy consumption in Europe. Read More...

The solar thermal energy sector is at a critical juncture. While solar thermal energy is showing the highest potential among renewable heating and cooling technologies, its share of heating and cooling is still far below 1%. This is against a background of declining or stagnating European solar thermal markets that have ceased growing since 2008. Furthermore, competition from other sources is growing, like electricity being used for heating purposes. Therefore, what will be the future of solar thermal in the European heating and cooling system is an important question. Read More...