Solar Thermal in the Nordics. A Belated Boom for All or Not?

Abstract

In this work, the use of solar thermal energy in the Nordic Countries, especially in Denmark, is studied. Renewable energies, such as solar, are an important ally in the fight against Climate Change, with more countries betting on them. In the past, it may have been believed that the Nordic Region does not have enough solar radiation for solar energy to be profitable, but changes in the climate and technology have proven this statement to be wrong. The case of Denmark is a clear example, which has become a leading country when it comes to solar thermal energy. A study of the current Danish solar thermal market is conducted in this project in order to understand how this country is making the most out of this energy source. Three different plants are studied (Silkeborg, Vollerup and Gr?sten) and compared to those of other Nordic Countries (Akershus from Norway and H?meenlinna from Finland). It was found that the main difference between them is the size of the Photovoltaic (PV) parks. Whilst Denmark specialised in large-scale plants with a two-phase building process, the other countries are only using small-scale installations. After a deeper understanding of the Danish energy market, it is concluded that there is a solar thermal energy policy that allows its exploitation. Furthermore, an increase in the level of solar radiation in Denmark over the last decade has led Danish experts to believe that solar energy in the Nordic Countries is going to be even more profitable in the following years. It is believed that Denmark will continue its current expansion into this market and also that the other Nordic countries will soon enough join.

Keywords

• solar thermal
• nordic countries
• satellite images