Sustainable Energy Use: Innovative Research into Solar Thermal Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Reducing CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere is essential in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. In this context, solar energy plays a major role in progressively reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and achieving current global sustainability goals, regardless of the level of development of the country concerned. Since electricity consumption is associated with a country's level of development, it is relatively common to associate the use of solar energy with photovoltaic energy conversion. However, it would be a mistake to underestimate the use of solar thermal energy, forgetting not only its current applications but also the passive systems that are among the oldest archetypes of solar conversion. The intelligent use of solar thermal energy has always been a mark of quality in building. By improving efficiency and reducing energy demand, it is possible to imagine a future with active and passive solar systems integrated into zero-energy buildings. Nevertheless, energy management transcends the stand-alone building, so urban developments where solar energy storage plays a key role are needed. In addition, solar thermal electricity is already a real alternative to photovoltaic generation, which can compensate for the limitations of photovoltaic power in existing buildings that are difficult to retrofit, or in industrial applications with high power demand. Moreover, solar thermal energy is not only interesting from an energy point of view, but also in terms of access to the two other major resources associated with sustainable development, namely water and food.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to showcase and compile advances in research, development and innovation related to solar thermal energy that can contribute to environmentally friendly economic and social progress. Contributions may include original research or review articles on specialized or multidisciplinary topics related to resource assessment, design, monitoring, control, testing, maintenance, and the economic and environmental evaluation of installations. Both original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following ones:

• Glazing, coatings, and selectively solar-absorbing surfaces;
• Solar water heating;
• Solar cooling;
• Solar distillation;
• Solar detoxification;
• Solar drying;
• Solar cookers;
• Solar thermal electricity;
• Solar thermal propulsion in space;
• Seasonal storage of solar energy;
• Solar thermal systems for environmental quality in urban areas;
• Solar thermal systems for building refurbishment;
• Solar thermal systems for positive energy districts;
• Passive systems for residential or industrial applications;
• Solar resource assessment;
• Modelling of solar thermal system performance and degradation;
• Ecological footprint of solar thermal systems;
• Economic and environmental assessment of solar thermal systems;
• Monitoring, control and performance testing of solar thermal systems.

Prof. Dr. Jesús Ignacio Prieto García
Dr. David García
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• energy conversion
• energy storage
• solar architecture
• solar process heat
• solar thermal electricity
• modelling
• energy markets
• energy policy