General

Solar thermal energy policy in Hungary

General

Hungary, according to the Directive on the Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (2009/28/EC) is obliged to achieve mandatory target of 13% RES share in final energy consumption by 2020.  Moreover, in April 2008 the Hungarian Parliament approved The Hungarian Renewable Strategy to 2020, setting the 13-15% target for RES.

Investments by the commercial and public sector have focused on biomass and geothermal as the conditions for their development are extremely good in Hungary. Nevertheless, of all renewable energy sources, solar thermal is not the most well-known technology despite the fact that there has never been a campaign in Hungary for solar, which means there is no public awareness for it.

Renewable heat: solar thermal

The annual average thermal energy yield of solar energy technologies currently used in Hungary is approximately 1,500 MJ/m2, of which 1,080–1,260 MJ/m² can be utilised during the five warmest months (May to September).

According to the ESTIF report, the Hungarian market for solar thermal grew by 127% in 2009, the installed capacities in Hungary amounted to 82,590 m² and the annula capaicty growth increased to 50,000 m² per annum. Such high dynamics of the market cannot be comfirmed – the peak was in 2008 and then the market stagnated in 2009. Apart from the general need to catch up in the sector of renewable energies, the crucial factors for the boom in 2008 were the commercial and residential incentive schemes between 2008 and 2009. In 2008, there was an incentive programme for the residential sector, which ran throughout the entire year and was relaunched for a short period in August 2009.

There are no such framework conditions for 2010, which means the funds for the commercial sector were already exhausted a long time ago and there have not yet been any new funds allocated. With regard to the residential sector, there are no incentives in 2010 at all. In light of the difficult economic and political situation in Hungary, the public and private debt, structural deficits, the weak currency, etc, the solar thermal market will, all in all, experience a dramatic decrease compared to 2009. There are no reliable numbers for the entire Hungarian market. Estimates in m² of collector area vary between 10,000 and 25,000 m² for last year. Over the last years, Hungary has turned out to be an interesting but highly fluctuating market for solar thermal technology.

Basically all large manufacturers (Junkers, Vaillant, Hoval, Heliostar, etc.) as well as Chinese producers are present on the Hungarian market. Most of the manufacturers provide trainings for installers and consultancy for interested people. As a general rule, solar cells and solar collectors can be installed without a final construction permit in Hungary. In certain cases, however, a construction permit must be obtained, for example if the required equipment is intended to be installed on buildings under monument protection, if the installation involves significant changes to the facade of the building or if a large open-air system is concerned.

There are a few Hungarian companies which manufacture collectors. Their role on the market, however, is decreasing steadily because of the increasing importance placed on quality. All of the big German and Austrian manufacturers are also operating in Hungary. There are at least 12 to 15 large system providers from Western Europe, plus a few Greek and Turkish companies, as well as 8 to 10 importers of Chinese systems. Laser-welding machine with a horizontal rotation table: This machine by the Switzerland manufacturer Minitec was ordered by the Danish Velux Group for its collector factory in Fertöd, Hungary. Velux plans to later produce its own absorbers with the new laser-welding machine - from mid-2010 on. Through its subsidiary in the neighbouring country, Austrian manufacturer Tisun has been doing business in Hungary since 2008 and has already made its mark on the state's solar thermal sector. In December 2009, the company supplied the collectors for the so-called „Village House“ in Budapest, with its 1,500m² the country's largest thermal system so far. With its 3,500 m² of installed collector area, Tisun was certainly among the best-selling manufacturers in the glazed flat plate collector market in 2009.

The Hungarian solar thermal industry is joining forces: In October 2010, it initiated the founding of the Hungarian solar association Magyar Szolár Szövetség, which will be authorized by the Hungarian administration. President of the new association is European Parliament member. In addition to intense national lobbying, the association has joined forces with the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF).

Future programme changes expected

Many new projects have already been planned up to the last detail, but their implementation has been postponed by the investors until 2011 because of the difficult incentive situation.

Source

http://www.cres.gr/trans-solar/downloads/hungary_final%201.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/transparency_platform/doc/national_renewable_energy_action_plan_hungary_en.pdf

www.europarl.europa.eu

http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1479

http://www.solarthermalworld.org/node/1039

http://www.cres.gr/trans-solar/downloads/template_hungary.pdf

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Last update: April 2011

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date of last update: April 2011

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The EurObserv'ER barometer is a project supported by the European Commission within the DG TREN 'Intelligent Energy Europe' programme and by Ademe, the French Environment and Energy management Agency. The EurObserv'ER Barometer is the result of the investigation and research work of its authors. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.