SOLCO EU Conference|
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The SOLCO project team at the
Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels |
The SOLCO project EU Conference at the
Madou Tower in Brussels, 10 February 2009 |
The Agrigento Provincial Energy Agency (APEA), the coordinator of SOLCO project, in partnership with ISLENET, the network of European Island Authorities, www.islenet.net, organised an EU Conference with the title SOLAR COOLING TECHNOLOGIES: THE SOLCO PROJECT. The Conference focused on solar cooling technologies and the non-technological barriers they face.
The event was organised within the context of the EU Sustainable Energy Week / 9-13 February 2009 in Brussels. SOLCO's event was on Tuesday 10 February 2009 in the afternoon.
Awareness of solar cooling technologies remains limited in the European Union and particularly in Southern Europe, where it is mostly needed and where the benefits could be significant.
The Conference aimed to present the objectives and results of the SOLCO project. At the end of the session there was a Round Table discussion with representatives from two other EU-funded solar cooling projects, SOLARCOMBI+ and SOLAIR. The discussion facilitated a lively exchange with the Conference participants.
PRESENTATIONS
Overview of the SOLCO Project and Analysis of the Insular Market of Southern Europe
Stefano Rugginenti, Agrigento Provincial Energy Agency (APEA),
Stefano Rugginenti, Agrigento Provincial Energy Agency (APEA),
Theocharis Tsoutsos, Technical
Pilar Navarro, Canary Islands Institute of
How to overcome cultural barriers: Training Actions
Salvatore Castaldo, Agrigento Provincial Energy Agency (APEA),
Marios Manolis, Cyprus Institute of Energy
Panos Coroyannakis, ISLENET
SOLCO, SOLARCOMBI+ & SOLAIR Projects Round Table
Concluding remarks
Here are the main points that energed during the round table discussion regarding the diffusion of solar cooling technologies:
- At local level there is a real need for the implementation of solar cooling and the public is willing to use the technology for air conditioning applications in the residential, commercial and public sector, including private enterprises, hotels and hospitals.
- The investment cost of solar cooling installations is higher than conventional air conditioning systems. As a result, relatively few installations are in place and this in turn keeps the cost of components (such as chillers) relatively high due to the absence of economies of scale.
- There is a lack of widespread specialised knowledge of solar cooling technologies amongst designers, installers and maintainers who in their majority continue to design and promote conventional non-solar installations.
- Training of technical market actors (designers, installers, maintainers) is crucial in order to overcome the knowledge barrier.
- Financial support schemes at national and European level are essential in order to overcome the financial barrier and make SC technologies competitive, improve market penetration and exploit economies of scale. These schemes can be in the form of grants, subsidised interest rate loans, and/or tax incentives.
- Dissemination of information on the advantages of solar cooling is vital. A Europe-wide campaign, with emphasis on
Southern Europe , is central in order to improve the understanding and acceptance of solar cooling technologies by the general public.
Article in the Spanish press - SOLCO EU event 10 February 2009 Brussels
The Conference aimed to present the objectives and results of the SOLCO project.
