"The sun provides us with an endless supply of energy, and Bosch already has the technology to use this efficiently," said Wolfgang Chur, member of the Bosch board of management who also oversees the Thermotechnology Division. This year, Bosch is looking to use solar and geothermal systems to boost sales overall by about $125 million to $500 million.

Solar power is second only to wind power in making the greatest contribution to meeting worldwide energy needs among all renewable energy systems. No CO2 emissions are produced during the operation of a solar thermal system. Two collectors, each with a surface area of around 22 square feet, are required to heat water for a four-person household.

Last year, Bosch Thermotechnology launched a new generation of durable collectors that are particularly lightweight and easy to assemble and recycle. Environmentally friendly solar thermal systems in combination with state-of-the-art condensing technology are also more economical to run.

In addition to expanding its production capacities for solar collectors, Bosch has also stepped up its activities in the heat-pump field. At the end of January, it acquired Ft. Lauderdale, Florida-based FHP Manufacturing, a leading supplier in the heat-pump industry.