How is your business going in Spain?
Solarwatt started in April 2017 and has being enlarging the Partner’s network constantly. The market is growing quite fast based on self-consumption, mostly agriculture, commercial and industrial installations. Residential is still very small but also growing in regions where some kind of subsidies and incentives are available. Solarwatt is focused on residential and small and medium size industrial and commercial.
How much do you sell so far?
In 2017 we achieved half a million euros and for 2018, the target is three million.
What do you sell the most?
We have quite balanced sales: 50 percent double glass and polymer solar modules and 50 percent batteries.
What are the drivers and incentives for solar self-consumption and energy storage?
There are no national incentives but also no barriers or taxes in installations up to 10 kW. Regional governments and municipalities have developed limited actions during 2017.
Where do you still see some hurdles and restrictions?
There are complications in terms of administrative processes that should be removed. Installation over 100 kW has also restrictions and taxes that will have to be eliminated.
Whom are you partnering with? With how many installers are you cooperating?
We have quite heterogeneous group of partners across the territory. Up to date we have 16 representatives covering 60 percent of the country. So, we are still in the process of signing new partnerships. A part from these partners-engineering-installers, we have to other main partners: BMW Ibérica and Gas Natural Fenosa. We are now in the preparation process of launching campaigns to their clients in Spain.
How do you train the installers?
We train them with our own internal resources but also with specialized external companies.
What are your future plans?
We will extend the network to cover 100 percent of the Spanish territory, we’ll strength our partnerships, and to reach five percent of the modules market for self-consumption and 15 percent of the Ion-Lithium batteries.
Interviewed by Hans-Christoph Neidlein
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More useful information:
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Markets-Money/Sunny-renaissance-in-Europe
http://www.pveurope.eu/News/Markets-Money/Detlef-Neuhaus-of-Solarwatt-says-Moving-ahead-step-by-time
https://www.pveurope.eu/solar-storage/solarwatts-myreserve-matrix-battery-delivers-more-energy-now
