the solar thermal market in turkey 1 present situation and future prospects development of started very early especially southern izmir region first small producers water heaters appeared around 1974 but they were producing only to safisfy local demand after 1981 production show a rapid increase energy is quite abundant s average sunshine period about 2 640 h year table 3 efforts exploit this potential led installation 5 million square metres flat plate collectors for hot from 1989 till beginning 1995 annual above area estimated be 750 000 mwh manufacturing has been achieved by 111 companies most them are enterprises with limited capacity half have established during last five years collector sales although earlier statistical data available since 1986 following reported
