Solar energy can possibly cover over 80% of heating needs in Nordic countries

Solar energy could supply more than 80% of heating energy needed for every household in Finland, Sweden, Norway, and other places at the same latitudes.

This was the result of a recent study from Aalto University researchers.

“Of course, local conditions have some effect on this,” Hassam ur Rehman, a doctoral candidate at said university, told in a statement.

Renewable energy calculated by the researchers from solar heating system could be used to cover 53% to 81% of annual domestic heating energy consumption depending on the technical implementation method.

During the cold season, researchers calculated the amount of solar heat acquired for heating homes when there was storage of excess energy, as well as the amount of heat for practical use when energy for heating houses was acquired through solar heating and the heat accumulated was stored for future use in cold season.

Based on their statement, the researchers also studied the usage of above-ground water storage tanks for a short period heat storage and borehole storage suited for seasonal storage.

The product of this experiment relied on how the heat pumps, borehole storage for storing heat, and water storage tanks were used altogether.

One of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emission in the European Union is the heating of buildings that could take up 40% of all energy consumption in said region.

“In Finland, more than 80% of the energy consumption in households goes to heating buildings and water, and this is on the increase. 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,” said Kai Sirén, also a professor at Aalto University.

Siren stated that further study should continue, focusing on measurement results on a system made and applied in Finland.

Price reductions have made solar energy practical as an alternative energy source in the Nordic countries.

In fact, Denmark is aiming to reach 100% renewable electricity by the year 2035, the usage of solar energy in district heat production swiftly increased.

“We are talking about a computational result which includes factors of uncertainty even if the initial values have been carefully selected and the simulations conducted meticulously,” Siren noted.

Meanwhile, Carbonbrief.org said in one of its explainers that buildings in Europe can also be renovated to be more energy efficient through insulation and double-glazing.