This project will target the fast growing market for solar collector systems. The competitiveness of the EU solar collector industry is a major issue in this rapidly increasing market. Currently, European industry is lagging behind the China and US, which exports solar collector components to the EU. Also competition will become increasingly intense, as new players from other low labour cost countries are now entering the market for collector systems. The proposed project will increase the competitiveness of the 6,000 SMEs in the European solar collector sector by providing them with a technology that will significantly improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of collector modules. This will provide the sector with the necessary momentum to increase their competitiveness against current market leaders in China and the United States. Current solar collector module technologies are based on top plate absorber polymeric system. However, these systems have poor thermal conductivity, which lead to poor performance of the systems. We propose to overcome these problems by developing a more efficient, cost effective and easy to install polymeric solar collector module, with hybrid parallel plate back absorber and projection fins to increase the efficiency of the absorber thermal conductivity. The operating temperature is 120°C with high mechanical strength to withstand pressure from the circulating water and the external environment. We will support EU policy to reduce harmful CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and help reach the EU target of 320 Gigawatt (GWth) of solar thermal output by 2020. In addition, the proposal will help towards The European Union meeting its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions according to the Kyoto Protocol.