Heating water accounts for 20% of households’ energy bills in Albania, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania Belinda Balluku said and announced that her ministry would cover 70% of the cost for 2,000 users to equip their homes with solar thermal collectors. Such systems use solar energy to heat water with panels and store it in insulated tanks.

The program is aimed at reducing electricity consumption, improving the supply of hot sanitary water and lowering carbon dioxide emissions, said the Energy Efficiency Agency (EEA or AEE). It launched a call for firms to qualify to be included in the list on authorized suppliers and installers.

The selected companies will be obligated to deliver and set up stainless steel 200-litre water tanks with high resistance to rust. The required warranty for the equipment is five to seven years.

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