GSR 2025 | Solar Thermal - REN21
A comprehensive annual overview of the state of renewable energy.
www.ren21.netI’ll summarize the latest publicly available developments in solar thermal collectors based on recent industry and research updates.
Key takeaways
- Global activity in solar thermal continues to grow alongside solar PV, with new systems targeting both heat and cooling applications. This includes large-scale district heating projects and solar cooling initiatives, signaling growing interest in thermal use cases beyond traditional hot water.[2][4]
- Solar thermal innovation is increasingly focused on higher temperatures and integrated cooling solutions. Advances include improved collectors (e.g., evacuated tubes, high-efficiency flat plates) capable of delivering temperatures suitable for industrial processes and solar-driven cooling, which aligns with market demand for year-round energy use.[3][4]
- Certification, quality control, and standards are becoming more prominent to boost consumer confidence and domestic manufacturing, particularly in North America and Europe. Quality labels and standardized testing are helping to differentiate reliable products in a crowded market.[4]
- The IEA SHC and REN21 reports underscore ongoing investments and policy drivers, with several regions leveraging incentives and mandates to support solar thermal adoption, though competition from solar PV remains intense for rooftop applications. Policy and market signals continue to shape where solar thermal is most viable, particularly for higher-temperature needs and cooling applications.[1][4]
Notable examples and trends
- Market and policy signals: International programs and national standards are fostering growth in solar thermal, including efforts to standardize kits for sunbelt regions and to promote solar cooling as part of sustainable cooling strategies.[1][4]
- Technological focus: Emphasis on systems that can deliver heat for process industries, building cooling via solar-assisted cooling, and hybrid PV-thermal approaches that improve overall energy yield and year-round viability.[2][3]
- Market outlook: While solar PV price declines have shifted some rooftop decisions away from solar thermal, there remains a robust pipeline for district heating, industrial process heat, and cooling applications where thermal energy is particularly well-suited.[4][2]
Illustrative example
- A modern PV-thermal (PV/T) system and solar cooling kits are being piloted or expanded in different regions, illustrating a trend toward integrated solutions that maximize sun-to-use conversion and align with demand peaks (cooling in summer, process heat year-round).[1][2]
Would you like a concise country-specific snapshot (e.g., US, EU, Asia) or a focused briefing on solar cooling applications and their market readiness? I can compile a brief with latest data and key players. If you want, I can also gather and cite the most current sources for verification.