The industry needs to aim for big targets to ensure that solar heat is able to contribute its share to the energy transition. With this statement, Karl-Heinz Remmers, the founder and CEO of knowledge service provider Solarpraxis AG located in Berlin, opened the fourth SMEThermal conference in Berlin on January 29th. The necessary future development of collectors, systems and production technology was the topic of discussion for the ca. 150 industry representatives and researchers at the conference. The event was organized by Solarpraxis AG along with the trade papers SONNE, WIND & WÄRME and SUN & WIND ENERGY.

SMEThermal is the leading international industry conference in the thermal industry in Europe and offers an ideal panel for collector and storage tank manufacturers and their auxiliary industries. "Greater optimism could be sensed at this year's SMEThermal 2013. Quite a few interesting innovations were presented," says Bärbel Epp, CEO of solrico, the market research and international communications agency specializing in solar thermal energy which was responsible for the conference agenda. "New collector models and optimized systems reduce costs and spur on the industry."

One key topic of discussion at the conference was how solar thermal systems will look like in the future – and what the core of them, the collector, will be made of. Collectors with absorbers made of extruded aluminum profiles facilitate at least a 10% increase in efficiency, as confirmed by Jari Varjotie, CEO of the Finnish company Savo-Solar.

At the same time, researchers and companies are working on systems which use plastic materials as collectors to make solar heat affordable for more people living in the earth's sun belt. Michael Sessler, Head of Business Development at the Israeli solar company Magen eco-Energy, specified the targeted goal: In only a few years it will be possible to offer plastic collectors at an ex-factory price of 40 to 50 euros per square meter. This represents a 50% price cut compared to the current standard collectors in Europe.

Many other production and application innovations could also reduce costs and improve the efficiency of solar thermal systems in the future. A new machine from Sika AG located in Switzerland makes it possible to apply adhesives for attaching the collector frame to the pane in the form of an L – a faster and more precise process than before. The German company Weil Engineering presented a new process for the automatic laser welding of heat storage tanks.

Jens Gruetzmann, Director of Sales at Magontec, a magnesium anode manufacturer active worldwide, has attended SMEThermal for the fourth time. He values the event primarily as a networking platform: "We profit immensely from intensive communication with customers at this international industry conference," he says. Rolf Jönsson, product manager at Alfa Laval Lund AB in Sweden, a sponsor of and exhibiting company at SMEThermal and leading manufacturer of heat exchangers, also values the opportunity to make contacts. "Good connections can be made with several people sharing similar interests. Solar technology and our products complement each other well."

The positive response from both guests and exhibitors across the board is evidence of the importance of SMEThermal as a panel for the international solar thermal energy sector. SMEThermal will take place again in Berlin in early 2014.

Additional information: www.solarpraxis.de/en/conferences/smethermal-2013/general-information

Solarpraxis
www.solarpraxis.de