ZeKon in-situ – Development of a Certification Concept for Large Solar Thermal Systems Based on In-Situ Measurements with the Aim of Market Entry at Lower Costs

The project aim is to create a certification path for solar thermal collectors based on in-situ measurements on existing systems.  The main themes are developing the methodology, comparing different measurement techniques and creating the administrative prerequisites.

Solar thermal sales are declining or stagnating in Germany. Market areas that counteract this trend if they could be developed are residential buildings with several user units, local heating networks and industrial process heat plants. In the case of some solar thermal products that would lead to unjustifiably high testing costs in the laboratory either due to their size (approx. above 20m² or output of 20kW) or due to their technical design (high constructional effort, configuration custom made on site, facade). Since there is no possibility of certification on the basis of an alternative and equivalent method, it is therefore impossible for these products to qualify for the funding under the Market Incentive Programme (MAP), to comply with the Renewable Energies Heat Act (EEWärmeG) and in future to be classified according to the energy-related product directive (ErP).The project is working on the methodological development of such a process.