Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Renewable Energy

Solar could supply up to 80% of domestic heating demand in northern latitude countries

Cold nights in Finland could be kept at bay with solar.

Tibi Puiu by Tibi Puiu
June 20, 2017
in News, Renewable Energy

Solar thermal collectors on the roof of a Finnish home. Credit: Aalto University.

Finnish researchers at Aalto University claim renewable energy could be used to cover 53–81% of the annual domestic heating in the frosty country. The results are considered valid for Scandinavian countries but, in principle, could apply to other locations at the same latitudes, keeping in mind local conditions.

In the European Union, heating takes up the most energy in a household, around 40 percent. In Finland, where average temperatures range from – 22 to -3°C in its coldest months or even down to -50°C in the northern part of the country, heating accounts for more than 80% of a household’s total energy use. Finland’s vision is to become a carbon-neutral society by 2050.

Finland — a country that warms twice as fast than the global average – has a vision of becoming a carbon-neutral society by 2050. The plan is to have 60 percent of its energy use covered by renewable sources by then. Coal is to be scrapped entirely by 2030. Right now, the country employs a diverse basket of energy sources like nuclear power, natural gas, coal, oil, peat, hydropower, and wood-based fuels.

Solar is the least represented energy source in Finland but is growing fast thanks to a drop in prices for solar panels. Finland’s total PV capacity rose from 11.2 to 14.7 MW in 2015, marking a 33% year-to-year growth.

Traditional use of oil or wood-based burners for heating water and the living space is still common, though, which is why the Finnish government is looking towards renewable energy to meet its emission reduction targets.

One might think that Finland will never become a solar energy-intensive country seeing how its polar nights during the winter never stop. But remember Finland is also called the Land of the Midnight Sun where nature replies with 24 hours of full-blown sunlight in the summer. And contrary to popular belief, solar performance isn’t deteriorated by cold weather. On the contrary, panels are significantly more efficient in cold weather and clean, dustless surroundings, as seen in Finland. Finland has about the same amount of annual insolation as northern Germany, a country which has proven itself as a solar energy powerhouse. As long as you have means to store all that sunshine for the gritty winter months, Finland can count on solar — and that’s not just for electricity but heating also.

Unlike PV panels that collect electrons generated by photons hitting semiconducting materials, solar heating works by using the sun’s thermal energy to heat fluid (water or air) in solar collectors. Researchers at Aalto University led by Professor Kai Sirén run the numbers to see just how much Finland can rely on solar for heating its homes.

The results were extremely encouraging suggesting Finns have enough sunlight to ditch oil or wood burners in favor of solar thermal collectors.

“Solar energy offers economically sensible solutions for the collection of energy for this purpose, and for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, especially in southern Finland where the majority of the population lives,”  Sirén said.

 

Scientific Reference: Hassam ur Rehman, Janne Hirvonen, Kai Sirén: A long-term performance analysis of three different configurations for community-sized solar heating systems in high latitudes. Renewable Energy 113 (2017) 479-493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2017.06.017

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. The “war on drugs” has only harmed human rights and public health — not supply and demand
  2. Demand for water bigger than supply
  3. Solar and wind supply more than 10% of electricity in 18 US states
  4. Group of EU countries demand more ambitious climate commitment
  5. U.S. Solar jumped 17% in 2015, driven by rooftop PV demand
Tags: finland

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW