Solar Air Heating Systems

News & Media

August 2022
Toward Net-zero Homes and Communities

Starting in 2022, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is funding a four year program to support energy efficiency initiatives for the Canadian buildings sector. Up to one hundred percent (100%) of total project costs of governments and their departments and agencies, registered not-for-profit organizations and up to 75% of total project costs for other organizations.
See https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/toward-net-zero-homes-and-communities/toward-net-zero-homes-and-communities-applicant-guide/24508#aa

 

January 2022
Retrofit Wave Key to Meeting our Climate Goals

Says the report issued by the Pembina Institute , “Investments in the retrofit economy are very effective means to accelerate economic recovery. This is because the actions needed to decarbonize buildings — manufacturing and installing windows, installing air-source heat pumps, adding insulation, etc. — are labour-intensive, and create jobs where people live: in big cities, suburbs, and small towns.
See https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/news/economic/2022/01/retrofit-wave-key-to-climate-goals-pembina

To download the full report or its summary see https://www.pembina.org/pub/canadas-renovation-wave

September 8, 2021
SOFIAC - An innovative financial approach for your energy transition projects

SOFIAC allows Quebec businesses operating in the commercial and industrial sectors to seize all energy efficiency and GHG emission reduction opportunities particularly MatrixAir® solar air heating system without investing while benefitting from a positive cash flow as of day one after project implementation.

Here are just some of the advantages of this program

  • Identification of all profitable opportunities to reduce energy costs
  • Reductions in GHG emissions
  • Turnkey, open-book projects
  • No down payment required and without limiting financial capacity
  • Optimization of available subsidies from governments and utilities
  • Management of 100% of all technical and organizational aspects
  • Positive cash flows as of day one after project implementation
  • Alignment of the parties’ interests to maximize savings and minimize costs
  • Greenhouse gas emission reduction monetization
  • Support in obtaining ISO 50001 certification



For more information see: https://sofiac.ca/en/

May 13, 2020
From Relief to Recovery

Says Canada ’s Green Building Council, “…Following an unprecedented global health crisis resulting in nearly half of all Canadian households losing work, Canada is preparing for an economic recovery. Similar to the 2008 recession, the country will turn to its economic pillars, including construction and infrastructure projects, to help reignite the economy and create urgently needed jobs.”

Read more - https://www.cagbc.org/cagbcdocs/advocacy/CaGBC_Green_Recovery_Strategy_EN.pdf

January 10, 2020
One in three RE100 companies are now 75% renewable

RE100 is a global corporate leadership initiative bringing together influential businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity. Led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, RE100’s purpose is to accelerate change towards zero carbon grids, at global scale.

Read full report - https://there100.org/news/14291765

October 1, 2019
Solar Heating and Cooling Program

The International Energy Agency has just released its Solar Heating and Cooling Program - 2019 Global Market Development and Trends report. The report demonstrates, “Solar Heat is one of the top three renewable sources driving climate protection. In 2018, solar thermal systems reached 480 GWp which is equivalent to 43 million tons of oil saved and 138 million tons of CO2 emissions avoided.”

Read full report - https://www.iea-shc.org/Data/Sites/1/publications/Solar-Heat-Worldwide-2019.pdf

Summary report - https://www.iea-shc.org/Data/Sites/1/publications/Solar-Heat-Worldwide-2019-Summary.pdf

Top findings - https://www.iea-shc.org/solar-heat-worldwide

July, 2019
International Energy Agency – Solar Heating and Cooling Report

This is the most comprehensive publication available on the global solar heating and cooling market. New to this year’s report is the inclusion of hybrid Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) collectors. PVT collectors, which use a single device to convert solar radiation to heat and electricity, have gained market relevance in recent years and could play an important role in the future energy supply. In 2018, positive growth was reported in 10 of the top 20 countries, pointing to a turnaround in the solar thermal sector. If this trend continues, global market growth can be expected again in 2019. Available in English only.

Read more - https://www.iea-shc.org/Data/Sites/1/publications/2019-07-Solar-Update-Newsletter.pdf

June 19, 2019
Solar Heat Worldwide Report

First published in 2005, Solar Heat Worldwide 2019 provides market data on installed capacities, costs and share of applications from 68 countries. The 84-page report includes chapters on commercial applications and Levelized Cost of Heat. Solar Heat Worldwide has a solid reputation as a reference source for solar heating and cooling data among international organizations including REN21 and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The study was again the main contributor for the solar heating and cooling chapters of REN21’s Renewable 2019 Global Status Report (GSR), which is one of the key policy adviser reports on renewables.

Read more - https://www.iea-shc.org/solar-heat-worldwide

November 23, 2018
Full Expensing for Clean Energy Equipment

Hon. Mr. Bill Morneau’s Federal Fall Economic Statement contains a new measure to stimulate investment in Canada's clean technology sector(s) by proposing to provide an enhanced first-year allowance for certain renewable energy systems such as MatrixAir® solar air heating systems currently included in Class 43.1 or 43.2 if it is acquired after November 20, 2018 and becomes available for use before 2028. The enhanced allowance will initially provide a 100-per-cent deduction, with a phase-out for property that becomes available for use after 2023.

Read more - https://budget.gc.ca/fes-eea/2018/docs/statement-enonce/anx03-en.html

November 13, 2018
World Green Building Trends 2018

The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) quotes the World Green Building Trends 2018 SmartMarket study saying that more than one-third of Canadian respondents currently do the majority of their projects "green" – the highest percentage in North America and fourth-highest worldwide among those who make sustainable building a priority.

“Thirty-five per cent of Canadian firms participating in the survey say that more than 60 per cent of their projects are green, and that percentage is expected to rise to 48 per cent in 2021, in line with a global trend of increasing green building activity. A green building is one that produces low amounts of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Client demands are the top trigger for green activity in Canada , and 61 per cent of respondents say they consider improved occupant health and well-being to be a top social reason for building green. The majority of Canadian respondents – 53 per cent – expect to see cost savings of 15 per cent or more from green buildings after five years, ‘says the CaGBC. The report also shows that Canada had the second-highest percentage of survey respondents who are members of green building councils, at 63 per cent.

Overwhelmingly, Promoting Improved Occupant Health and Well-Being is the top social reason for “building green”, in Canada of which improving indoor air quality happens to be one of the key benefits of installing a solar air heating systems such as MatrixAir®. Client Demand is the top trigger in Canada , selected by a much higher percentage (50%) than the global average (34%).

Click here to read the full report (in English only) https://www.cagbc.org/cagbcdocs/advocacy/World_Green_Building_Trends_2018_SMR.PDF

November 9, 2018
Canada’s solar themal systems sales stumble and fall

Natural Resources Canada has released their most recent study on the state of the solar thermal market in Canada and the results are not encouraging.

The solar thermal market in Canada is comparatively small in terms of the world market. This small market is in stark contrast to the world leading solar technology that Canada has developed such as Matrix Energy’s, patented MatrixAir® solar air heating systems and that thermal heating accounts for over 30% of the CO2 emissions in North America making it one of our largest single sources of greenhouse gas emissions “Despite the huge demand for (solar) air heating in this country and our proven, low cost, high ROI air heating solutions for new and existing buildings in commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural and multi-residential applications only 24,953 m² of solar thermal collector area was installed in Canada in 2017, a mere fraction of the industry’s potential”, says Brian Wilkinson , founder and President of Matrix Energy Inc. The recently published Survey of Active Solar Thermal Collectors, Industry and Markets in Canada (2017) shows a marked decline in domestic sales (31 %) and exports (40 %) in 2017 compared to 2016 (See the full report at https://www.solarthermalworld.org/sites/default/files/news/file/2018-10-19/2018-08-16_survey_of_active_solar_thermal_collectors_-_aug_18_2018_cl.pdf Says Mr. Wilkinson, “There are very few buildings operating in cool climates around the world that would not benefit from one of our systems, it’s just a question of awareness by the architectural and engineering communities thus we have much more work to do.”

January 7, 2018
Federal Data Measures Economic Contribution of Clean Technology in Canada for the First Time

“Statistics Canada released data from the Environmental and Clean Technology Products Economic Account which provides a wide-ranging picture of the economic contribution of clean technologies to the Canadian economy.”

Read more-
https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2017/12/federal_data_measureseconomiccontributionofcleantechnologyincana.html

October 18, 2017
CDPQ announces investment strategy to address climate change

La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) announced on October 18th, 2017 its investment strategy to address climate change. “ We set a short-term target to increase our investments in low carbon assets by over $8 billion, and a medium-term target to reduce our carbon footprint by 25% per dollar invested…”

Read more-
https://www.cdpq.com/en/news/pressreleases/cdpq-announces-investment-strategy-to-address-climate-change

November 18, 2016
Canada's Mid-Century Long-Term Low-Greenhouse Gas Development Strategy

Canada’s Federal Liberal Government today submitted its report entitled "Canada's Mid-Century Long-Term Low-Greenhouse Gas Development Strategy" to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, that details what our long-term low-greenhouse gas emission society will entail. Canada outlines an emissions reduction plan that is line with net emissions falling by 80 per cent in 2050 from 2005 levels and consistent with the Paris Agreement's 2°C to 1.5°C temperature goal. Solar energy figures prominently in this strategy.

Read more-
https://unfccc.int/files/focus/long-term_strategies/application/pdf/canadas_mid-century_long-term_strategy.pdf

November 2016
By 2025 Public Services and Procurement Canada—the Government’s principal landlord, will be purchasing 100% of its electricity from clean energy sources

The Government of Canada is committed to a cleaner, more innovative economy that reduces emissions and protects the environment. This will help create well-paying jobs for the middle class and ensure we provide the next generations with a prosperous and sustainable economy.

For more information click here -
https://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?mthd=index&crtr.page=1&nid=1146639

June 2016
Ontario’s Five Year Climate Change Action Plan 2016 – 2020

The province of Ontario announced today that it is taking a bold new step investing upwards of $1.8 billion CAD in overall program spending each year to support various renewable technologies in the transportation, buildings and homes, land use planning, industry and business, indigenous communities, R & D, government and agriculture areas resulting in an estimated 9,832,000 tonnes GHG reduction by 2020. Congratulations Ontario , the work begins.

For more information see the full report here -
https://www.applications.ene.gov.on.ca/ccap/products/CCAP_ENGLISH.pdf

April 2016
Overall global PV contribution is reaching 1.3% of the world’s electricity demand.

On April 6th, 2016, the IEA-PVPS (International Energy Agency – Photovoltaic Power Systems Program) announced that, in total, 227 GW of PV installations are producing more than 1.3% of the electricity demand in the world while the 2015 market reached at least 49 GW. Combined the IEA-PVPS reporting countries had 197 GW of cumulative PV installations, mostly grid-connected, at the end of 2015 with 227 GW installed globally. Additional countries that are not part of the PVPS program represented the 30 additional GW.


The story of the last 10 years explains what happened in the PV sector. The introduction of the feed-in tariffs in Germany allowed the industry to move from a niche market to an industrial-size market. Policies that may have been negatively perceived have led to the boom of PV in many countries. The market moved rapidly from 1.4 GW in 2005 to 16.6 GW in 2010 and 50 GW in 2015. OECD countries and in particular European ones, Japan and the USA contributed significantly to PV development over the last decade. The Asia-Pacific region represented around 59% of the global PV market in 2015 and is the first ranking region for the third year in a row. Europe ’s market share fell again to 18%, despite a growth in absolute terms. The PV market in the Americas continued to grow with the USA , Canada and Chile leading the pace, ahead of several new markets. The Middle East had many project announcements and set up some installations, while the African market declined. Still, the most important element was witnessed again in China with its market progressing to 15.3 GW. The second largest market was Japan with 11 GW in 2015, ahead of the European Union and the USA with more than 7 GW each. India , with 2 GW appears to be the rising star in the PV sector.

In 22 countries, the annual PV contribution to electricity demand has passed the 1% mark, with Italy at the top of the list at around 8%, followed by Greece at 7,4% and Germany at 7,1%. The overall global PV contribution amounts to around 1.3% of the world’s electricity demand.

Finally, PV has become a major source of electricity at an extremely rapid pace in several countries all over the world. The speed of its development stems from its unique ability to cover most market segments; from the very small individual systems for rural electrification to utility-size power plants (today over 750 MWp).

Snapshot of Global Photovoltaic Markets 2015


February 2016
Province of Ontario Introduces New Climate Change Legislation

The proposed Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Act builds on Ontario's recent actions to fight climate change, including ending coal-fired electricity generation, working with industry and other partners on the design of a cap and trade program, releasing a Climate Change Strategy and investing in projects that fight climate change through the $325 million Green Investment Fund.

https://news.ontario.ca/ene/en/2016/02/ontario-introduces-new-climate-change-legislation.html

November 2015
Quebec's energy and natural resources ministry has announced the resumption of the ÉcoPerformance program

Quebec's energy and natural resources ministry has announced the resumption of the ÉcoPerformance program that helps subsidize solar air heating system installations as of October 21, 2015.

The ÉcoPerformance program merges five programs including the "Programme d’aide à l’implantation de mesures efficaces dans les bâtiments" and the "Programme de réduction de la consommation du mazout lourd.” The Program will provide companies undertaking solar air heating projects, that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with considerable financial assistance of up to 75% of the project costs. See the link below for specific program details.

https://www.efficaciteenergetique.gouv.qc.ca/clientele-affaires/ecoperformance/#.Vj_MDStmqih

If your building uses natural gas, propane or oil to provide heated fresh air or space heating consider using a MatrixAir® solar air heating system and the EcoPerformance™ program to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions or energy consumption in your buildings.

Read the full story at :
https://www.efficaciteenergetique.gouv.qc.ca/clientele-affaires/ecoperformance/#.Vj_MDStmqih

August 2015
Energy Darwinism II - Why a Low Carbon Future Doesn’t Have to Cost the Earth

As Thomas Edison presciently pointed out to Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone in 1931, “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy - sun, wind and tide. I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

Read the full story at :
https://www.citivelocity.com/citigps/ReportSeries.action

January 2015
Quebec's new Energy Policy

The Hon. M. Peirre Arcand and Quebec's Ministry of Natural Resouces is embarking on discussions for a new energy policy for Quebec.

To know more or become involved in the discussion see the new site below devoted to this initiative (in French only):
https://www.politiqueenergetique.gouv.qc.ca/accueil/

The press release announcing this imitative can be found here (in French only):
https://www.mern.gouv.qc.ca/presse/communiques-detail.jsp?id=11023

October 2014

The 2014 edition of Solar Heat Worldwide produced by the International Energy Association provides a status report of the solar thermal industry comprising solar thermal market data from 58 countries covering an estimated 95% of the worldwide market from 2012.

In this report total cumulative installed capacity in operation worldwide by the end of 2012 was 269.3 GWth, corresponding to a total of 384.7 million square meters of collector area was in operation. The vast majority of the total capacity in operation was installed in China (180.4 GWth) and Europe (42.8 GWth), which together account for 83% of the total installed. The remaining installed capacity was shared between the United States and Canada (17.2 GWth).

The breakdown of the cumulated capacity in operation in 2012 by collector type is 26.4% glazed flat-plate collectors, 64.6% evacuated tube collectors, 8.4% unglazed water collectors, and 0.6% glazed and unglazed air collectors, such as those produced by Matrix Energy Inc.

In the year 2012, a capacity of 52.7 GWth, corresponding to 75.3 million square meters of solar collectors, was installed worldwide. This means an increase in new collector installations of 9.4% compared to the year 2011. The main markets were in China (44.7 GWth) and Europe (3.7 GWth), which together accounted for 92% of the new collector installations in 2012 with Canada installing a mere 0.8 GWth. The breakdown of the newly installed capacity in 2012 by collector type is 15.9% glazed flat-plate collectors, 81.0% evacuated tube collectors, 3.0% unglazed water collectors and 0.2% glazed and unglazed air collectors such as those produced by Matrix Energy Inc.

To know more see : https://www.iea-shc.org/solar-heat-worldwide

May 2014

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) recently stated that, "According to new industry data, a growing sector of the U.S. solar energy industry has reached a major new milestone, with 5 million square feet of building-integrated solar air heating collectors now installed in North America . These systems represent 250 megawatts (MW) of thermal energy and displace nearly 100,000 tons of CO2 each year from the atmosphere."

Unfortunately, building-integrated solar air heating systems are often overlooked in the discussion about renewable energy. It's time to change that mindset. These cost-effective, energy-efficient systems can reduce by 20 to 50 percent the amount of conventional energy used for heating buildings.

Solar air heating systems, such as those produced by Matrix Energy's MatrixAirT systems, work by heating incoming ventilation air before it is brought into a building's HVAC system, using wall or roof mounted collectors that are typically made of metal and have 30-plus year lifespans.

By SEIA estimates, more than 50,000 new American jobs can be created and save $60 billion in energy costs over the next 30 years by expanding the use of such solar thermal systems across the United States. Matrix Energy conservatively estimates Canada would generate 10,000 similar jobs resulting in $12 billion in energy savings over this same period given our higher demand for heating. Today, approximately 44 percent of all North American energy consumption is attributable to heating and cooling. According to BEAM Engineering, a Boston-based energy consulting firm, solar air heating is the most efficient renewable technology for generating thermal heat and costs are as low as 6 cents per kilowatt (kWh) hour.

Read the full story at : https://www.seia.org/news/building-integrated-solar-air-heating-systems-hit-milestone

April 2014

On April 3, Tom Rand launched his second book, Waking the Frog: Solutions for Our Climate Change Paralysis, with a keynote address at MaRS. Waking the Frog dives deep into the human condition to explain how society responds to climate change, highlighting real solutions for the future.

A pragmatic entrepreneur, active investor and MaRS advisor to cleantech companies, Tom really does "walk the talk." He built Canada's greenest hotel in downtown Toronto, demonstrating not only that clean technology is affordable, but that it can also generate generous returns on investment.

Waking the Frog is an honest look at the how societal factors immobilize us in the fight against climate change and how we can overcome them. Throughout the book, Tom draws from a popular, if likely untrue myth: put a frog in a pot of water, increase the temperature of the water gradually and the frog will remain unaware of the impending danger until it's too late. We're that frog!

While carbon dioxide emissions continue to pour into our atmosphere, driving climate change, our psychology, momentum, markets and economics keep us from "waking up" and acting. Tom also describes four causes of our climate change paralysis.


Read the full story at : https://www.marsdd.com/news-and-insights/waking-the-frog-4-causes-of-our-climate-change-paralysis/

Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 16, 2014

According to data released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), a growing sector of the industry has reached a major milestone, with 5 million square feet of building-integrated solar air heating collectors now installed in North America.

SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch says these systems represent 250 megawatts (MW) of thermal energy and displace nearly 100,000 tons of CO2 each year from the atmosphere.

"Building-integrated solar air heating systems are often overlooked in the discussion about renewable energy," Resch said. "We need to change that mindset. These cost-effective, energy-efficient systems can reduce by 20 to 50 percent the amount of conventional energy used for heating buildings - or for agricultural or process drying applications. That can represent a huge savings to companies, business owners and farmers nationwide."

Solar air heating systems work by heating incoming ventilation air before it is brought into a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC), using wall-mounted collectors that are typically made of metal and have 30-plus year lifespans.

"By our estimates, we can create more than 50,000 new American jobs and save $60 billion in energy costs over the next 30 years by expanding the use of innovative solar heating and cooling systems (SHC) across the United States," Resch continued. "Today, approximately 44 percent of all American energy consumption is attributable to heating and cooling. As a nation, it's time to re-think our strategy for generating energy for our homes, businesses, schools and government buildings."

According to BEAM Engineering, a Boston-based energy consulting firm, SHC is the most efficient renewable technology for generating thermal heat and costs are as low as 6 cents per kilowatt (kWh) hour. Last year, SEIA's Solar Heating and Cooling Alliance released a comprehensive report, detailing how SHC technologies can help to power the U.S. economy, while significantly reducing pollution.

About SEIA: Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the Solar Energy Industries Association� is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry. Through advocacy and education, SEIA� is building a strong solar industry to power America. As the voice of the industry, SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to champion the use of clean, affordable solar in America by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at https://www.seia.org.


Read the full story at : https://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11767317.htm




 
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