ABSTRACT
Solar thermal systems are based on a simple principle known for centuries: the sun heats water contained in a dark vessel, solar radiation is then transformed into useful heat. In the 1970s, boosted by the first oil crisis, solar thermal systems started to be used more frequently. After more than 30 years of technological and market development, solar thermal technologies on the market now are efficient and highly reliable, providing solar energy for a wide range of applications such as domestic hot water and space heating in residential and commercial buildings, support to district heating, solar assisted cooling, industrial process heat, desalination and swimming pools. The solar thermal technologies replace conventional sources of heat, mainly fossil fuels or electricity. The enormous growth potential of solar thermal is key to moving the heating and cooling sector towards sustainability and to reducing the impact of the growing demand for energy imports on the economy and on the environment.
