As early as the 1980s, the use of thermal solar energy experienced a first boom in the area of water heating and the heating of swimming pools. At the beginning of the 1990ies it was possible to develop a considerable market in the field of solar combi systems for hot water and space heating. In the period between the year 2002 and 2009 the solar thermal market grew significantly and reached its peak in 2009 due to rising oil prices but also due to new applications in the multifamily house sector, the tourism sector as well as new applications in solar assisted district heating and industrial process heat.

After the phase of massive growth until 2009, the domestic market has been declining for more than thirteen years. This development is not only observed in Austria, but also in most European countries, with a few exceptions. For the past two years, however, there have been increasing installation figures again in some European countries. But not the Austrian domestic market, which again recorded a decline of 16 % in 2022 compared to 2021.

Market development of solar thermal collectors in Austria until 2022, Source: AEE INTEC

By the end of the year 2022 approx. 4.6 million square metres of solar thermal collectors were in operation in Austria, which corresponds to an installed capacity of 3.2 GW_th. The solar yield of the solar thermal systems in operation is equal to 2,063 GWh_th. The avoided CO₂-emissions are 369,890 tons.

In 2022 a total of 59,160 m² solar thermal collectors were installed, which corresponds to an installed thermal capacity of 41.4 MW_th as the figure above shows.

In 2022, the area of exported collectors increased from 462,223 m² in 2021 to 535,285 m² in 2022. This increase led to an increase in the export share of thermal collectors produced in Austria from 92 % in 2021 to 95 % in 2022. Austrian companies are thus important suppliers on the world solar thermal market. The turnover of the Austrian solar thermal industry was estimated at 151,6 million Euros for the year 2022. Therefore approx. 1,300 full-time jobs can be numbered in the solar thermal business.

Solar thermal systems for water heating in single-family homes continue to dominate the solar heating market. Applications in the apartment building sector, but also in the service sector and here in particular in tourism are the two other sectors that are essential.

Even if systems in the areas of solar district heating and the integration of thermal solar systems in industrial low-temperature processes are becoming increasingly widespread, they only play a subordinate role in relation to the total installed capacity.

Solar air systems for drying agricultural products and solar cooling and air conditioning are currently only niche areas with very small market shares.

The single-family home area represents the largest market. 71% of the solar systems installed in 2022 were in the single-family home area, 17% were in the multi-family home area. The hotel and tourism sector had a market share of 7%. 7% are distributed between applications in trade and industry. 4% are attributable to solar district heating systems.

PVT collectors are becoming increasingly popular. The cumulative installed PVT collector area amounts to 3,968 m² in Austria at the end of 2022.

The main market driver is still the environmental awareness of the population, but also subsidy schemes, which are in place in all provinces of Austria and also on the federal level.

For large-scale systems, a special subsidy program has been in place since 2010 for systems in the range of 100 m² to 10,000 m² in the following fields of application: solar process heat, solar district heating, high solar fraction, new and innovative technologies.

In order to help large-scale plants achieve a breakthrough in Austria, planning and feasibility studies for plants larger than 5,000 m² will now also be put out to tender from 2020. For the subsequent implementation of these large-scale plants in the following years, the creation of a funding framework is planned. For further details please visit: www.klimafonds.gv.at/call/solarthermie-solare-grossanlagen-2020/. 

The Austrian production of glazed flat-plate collectors, evacuated tube collectors and air collectors is distributed among 10 companies, with more than 90% of production in the hands of just one company for some years now.

The production, the export and import of thermal solar collectors (all types of collectors) in Austria from 2000 to 2022 are shown in the following figure.

Production of thermal solar collectors in Austria. Unglazed collectors, vacuum tube collectors and air collectors, in the years 2000 to 2022

For more information concerning the industry: www.solarwaerme.at/Austria-Solar/Mitglieder/

Approximately 1,300 full time jobs exist in the solar thermal business.

Typical specific market prices including installation for different systems are:

Domestic hot water system (6m² collector/300 liter hot water store): 700 - 1,000 €/m²

Solar combi-systems (10 -30m² collector/ 1- 5 m³ tank): 800 - 1,000 €/m²

Medium-sized systems (50 - 500 m² collector/): 500 - 700 €/m²

Large-scale systems (500 m² - 2000 m² collector/): 300 - 600 €/m²

None.

Within "City of the Future", a program is being established for the development of new technologies, technological (sub) systems, urban services, services and solutions. The 8th call addressed (published in November 2020) research and development questions in connection with buildings, quarters and cities as well as new challenges in connection with digitalization in construction, the implementation of plus energy quarters and the development of innovative urban greening technologies.

For further information please see: www.ffg.at/8-Ausschreibung-stadt-der-zukunft

According to IG Passivhaus, approximately 16,000 housing units exist in Austria. The general tendency goes to "Net-Zero-Energy" and "Plus-Energy" houses.

More information about the passive house market in Europe can be found at www.passivehousedatabase.eu and for Austria at www.igpassivhaus.at or www.passivhaus-austria.org.

National and EU building regulations.

No data available.

One of the central objectives of Austrian research, technology and innovation policy is to set strategic priorities in research, development and innovation. In this way, selected future fields and key technologies with high potential for business and society are supported in a targeted and sustainable manner.

The following thematic programs are currently available in the ENERGY, CITY AND ENVIRONMENT area:

• Energy research
• Energy.Free.space
• Energy Transition 2050
• ERA NET Smart Energy Systems (SES) RegSys
• International Energy Agency (IEA)
• Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe (JPI UE)
• Smart Cities demo
• City of the future
• Flagship regions of energy
• Zero emission mobility

www.ffg.at/thematische-programme

Austria also participates in IEA research cooperation projects (tasks, annexes) under the cooperation scheme with the International Energy Agency (IEA). Research activities under this scheme relate to internationally agreed priorities, national network and dissemination tasks and delegation activities

For details please see: www.ffg.at/iea

Further information on energy related R&D programmes can be found at:

www.klimafonds.gv.at 

www.bmk.gv.at/en.html

Compact thermal storages with high energy density: Status R&D

Solar Industrial Process Heat: Status: R&D and Demo

Solar District Heating: Status:  Demonstration

Building integration of solar thermal components: Status: R&D and Demo

# Mission innovation - Austrian climate and energy strategy - www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at

Austrian Climate and Energy Fund: www.klimafonds.gv.at

Federal Ministry for Climate Action: www.bmk.gv.at

Austrian Energy Agency: www.energyagency.at

Austrian Council: www.rat-fte.at

All subsidy and support programs can be found at: www.solarwaerme.at.

www.klimafonds.gv.at/foerderungen/aktuelle-foerderungen/

Austria Solar
Austria Solar was founded in 1999 and has to date 44 members, who represent about 75% of the Austrian solar industry (manufacturers, installers and also research institutions).

Website: www.solarwaerme.at

IG Passivhaus
Website: www.igpassivhaus.at

Passivhaus Austria
Website: www.passivhaus-austria.org

Initiative Solar Houses Austria:
Website: www.sonnenhaus.co.at

nachhaltige technologien, published by AEE INTEC, www.aee-intec.at

HLK - Fachportal für Heizung, Lüftung und Klima www.hlk.co.at

Der österreichische Installateur www.derinstallateur.at