Increasing the use of renewable energies has become the primary concern of policy-makers all over Europe. Although it accounts for half of the overall final European energy demand, it is only since the adoption of the Directive promoting the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES Directive), that heating and cooling has been recognized as the third pillar of the energy demand alongside transport and electricity production.

In Bilbao on 23-24 February 2010, the First Annual Conference of the European Technology Platform on Renewable Heating and Cooling (www.rhc-platform.org) will focus on the newly developed common vision for renewable heating and cooling in Europe. This two-day conference is the ideal platform to discuss the actions needed to unlock the vast Renewable Energy potential in the European heating and cooling sector. A first class panel of speakers presenting the very latest trends and developments within the field, will tackle a broad range of timely topics including EU research funding policy, development and innovation, market outlook in renewable heating and cooling, thermal energy storage, renewable energy hybrid systems, district heating and cooling and large scale integration of renewable energy sources. Download here the preliminary program of the Conference.

Lastly, but by no means least, our host city will match the exciting promise of the conference itself. Speakers, participants, guests and friends can all expect to be enchanted by the wonderful destination that is Bilbao.
 
We look forward to welcoming you all in Bilbao on 23-24 February 2010 – marking the next milestone towards sustainable heating and cooling in Europe and ultimately mitigating climate change!


Gerhard Stryi-Hipp                                                                             Juan Tomás Hernani
Fraunhofer-ISE                                                                                  Secretary General for Innovation,
President of the European Technology Platform                               Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation
on Renewable Heating and Cooling