The publication is a summary of the work done by the project “The Country Programme of Albania under the Global Solar Water Heating Market Transformation and Strengthening Initiative”, being implemented by the Albanian Government and the UNDP. The project had a sound impact on awareness creation, capacity building and market stimulation that lead to stepping up the market and reaching the set goals. The project significantly contributed to the development and enactment of the Law on Renewable Energy Sources (RES), the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP), and the establishment of a Fund for Energy Efficiency. At the end of June, 2016 the cumulative area of SWH systems was 186,472 m2, the annual sale has reached at 21,602 m2 resulting to more than 990,000 tCO2 reduction (indirect CO2 reduction over the lifetime of solar collectors). In terms of evolution (growth) of the penetration rate for the SWH, it has gone from 17.9 m2/1000 inhabitants in 2009 to 66.2 m2/1000 inhabitants in 2016;
Quite a heavy work is underway to make operational the established EE Fund to secure sustainability of actions to transform SWH market. The municipalities of Tirana, Elbasan, Shkoder, Sarande, Vlore, Gramsh, Lushnje, Lezhe, Fier and Durres are supported with technical assistance and demonstration projects to justify the solar obligations ordinances; More than 712 participants (Arch., Eng., Instructors, etc.) are trained over the last five years on installation/monitoring/maintenance of SWH systems by public institutions, quality of products and their design and integration into new and existing buildings. A great deal is done to improve the specifications for the public tenders procuring the SWH systems and their service.