In 2011, Upper Austria was again a hotspot for professional visitors interested in sustainable energy market development: 17 international business delegations from 4 continents - many European countries, but also from the USA, South Africa and Japan – visited Upper Austria and the OEC in 2011 to learn more about the region's activities in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The OEC organised seminars and site-visits for more than 200 visitors focussing on biomass heating, low or zero energy buildings and other topics of interest.

OEC-Link: OEC website

The World Sustainable Energy Days, one of the largest annual conferences in this field in Europe held annually in Wels/Upper Austria, offer a unique combination of events on sustainable energy:

• European Pellet Conference, 29 Feb – 01 March
• Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Conference, 01-02 March
• Conference WSED next!, 29 February
• Conference Energy Efficiency Watch, 01 March
• Conference Biomass Partnerships, 01 March
• B2B-Meetings, 01 March
• Technical site-visits, 28 February & 01 March
• Trade show "Energiesparmesse", 29 February – 04 March

Online registration and more details at www.wsed.at

Sao Paulo is Gasokol's first destination for distributing their solar collectors in South America. 10 thermosiphon collectors "heatPipe INOX 110" were recently delivered to Brazil. Gasokol will use this first step in the South American market and expand in cooperation with local partners. The thermosiphon system produces hot water requiring very little outside energy. Systems are easy to install.

Fronius presented their comprehensive product ranges of grid-connected inverters, system monitoring and the Fronius service partner programme at the Solar Power International in Dallas, the largest conference and exhibition on solar energy in the USA. All products and services offered in the USA are especially adjusted to the needs of the US market.

Hargassner sold its first wood chip heating boiler to Japan. The 100 kW boiler heats a sports facility in a park in the Tokyo district of Shinagawa and is combined with a solar biomass drying facility. Hargassner exports more than 60 % of their products to more than 20 countries worldwide. Most important export markets for Hargassner are Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, but also include for example New Zealand.

CONA Solar Austria is a manufacturer of solar air collectors used for drying fruits, herbs or biomass. So far they have installed solar drying facilities on 4 continents which are used for drying more than 100 different products. Now CONA is taking its first steps in Central Asia: 460 m² CONA solar air collectors are providing energy for the drying of organic fruits, mainly distributed in Europe. Due to its modular design, the dimensioning of such a facility is very flexible.

Kreuzroither manufactures and distributes energy façade systems. Together with a distribution partner, they presented their Heliopan energy facade system at the Clean Energy Week in Melbourne. At Australia's largest solar event more than 130 exhibitors with more than 2,000 international delegates participated.