Introduction to the Task 39 Info Sheets

Abstract

Task 39 "Polymers for Solar Thermal Applications" of the International Energy Agency's Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC) was a joint endeavor by polymer and solar thermal experts from industry and research. It started in 2006 with a variety of studies on polymeric materials' suitability for the application in solar heating components. Investigations on novel designs that allow for alternative materials were elaborated as well as accompanying studies on the cost-reduction potential resulting from the efficient combination of material and product design. The first phase of Task 39 ended in 2010. Its results were published in Koehl et al. Polymeric Materials for Solar Thermal Applications. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2012 (ISBN 978-3-527-33246-5), which is, up to this day, the first publication that synthesizes international expertise in developing a new generation of solar thermal systems based on polymers. The work was continued in a second phase of international collaboration from 2010-2014 during which significant progress was made on collector designs as well as material and component investigations that found their beginnings in Task 39 and were continued throughout its second phase. The following collection of Task 39 Info Sheets presents the acquired know-how and current state-of-theart on polymer research for solar thermal applications, adding those results that have not been incorporated in the hardcover publication of 2012. As add-on to the official Task 39 handbook they pinpoint the most recent developments in the field open for download at: http://task39.iea-shc.org/infosheets. The Info Sheets are sorted according to the Subtask-division of Task 39. Subtask A Information General market issues are discussed in the Info Sheets: A1-Market and cost effects for polymeric solar thermal collectors A2-100% Renewable Energy Scenarios-Relevance of Plastics for Solar Thermal Technologies