Heating in the post-fossil age
The future belongs to heating technology that uses renewable energy sources
In an age where fossil fuels are becoming scarcer and commodity prices are rising, one of the key objectives of climate engineering is to harness renewables for heating. Solar thermal power, geothermal, biomass heating and combined heating and cooling systems leverage new technologies which are good for the environment. Demand is increasing worldwide.
Generating heat and electricity based on renewable energy sources is a global growth market – because climate change is an issue that concerns all nations. In January 2009, for example, more than 100 countries signed up to establish the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in order to promote the widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. Approximately 100 specialists are working on creating a knowledge base to help accelerate the transition from an energy industry based on oil, gas and coal to a climate friendly, secure, long-term energy supply.
International demand for eco heating systems
There are many international environmental initiatives which are focused on developing and extending the use of heating technologies that conserve resources. Various different usage scenarios are discernible worldwide. In Scandinavia, geothermal power is becoming more popular, with 95% of the population in Sweden already receiving their heating from geothermal energy via heat pumps. Germany and France, on the other hand, are major markets for solar thermal power. In Iceland too, geothermal power accounts for 53% of total primary energy consumption, while in Spain legislation to be passed shortly will specify that the energy for up to 60% of hot water in new builds must come from solar collectors. China is the world’s biggest market for solar thermal, at least in terms of the surface area of collectors: three quarters of all solar collectors manufactured worldwide have been installed there.
Germany adopting a pioneering role
Eco heating is increasingly popular in Germany. Since the start of 2009, German legislation to promote renewable energy in the heating sector (EEWärmeG) has stipulated that part of the heating requirements of new builds must be met by renewable energy sources. The aim is that by 2020 at the latest, renewables will account for 14% of Germany’s heating requirements. Already solar thermal systems are being planned for nearly 30% of all new builds.
- Source: Survey by TNS Emnid. 500 architects’ practices, engineering companies, construction firms and commercial developers were surveyed in December 2009 (German Agency for Renewable Energy)
