ryansheehanrts, Author at Elite Home & Solar

Solar Energy

The overall package makes the difference

December 4, 2024 ryansheehanrts

How does sales in the Polish PV market differ from other markets?

Sales thrive on relationships; people buy from people. This is true in the Polish PV market as in any other market. In Poland in particular, however, price plays a very important role in purchasing decisions. Quality is often forgotten when comparing offers. But photovoltaics in particular are investments in energy systems that are intended to function reliably for decades. If you skimp on quality, you are cutting corners. This is especially true for the substructure, which is ultimately the foundation of every PV system -the secure connection between the roof or building façade and the PV system.

Also interesting: Poland: RWE aims to increase biodiversity at its PV parks

Who are your target groups in the Polish market?

Our target groups are PV wholesalers, installation companies, architects and commercial design offices so-called EPC companies (engineering, procurement, and construction) that build turnkey photovoltaic power plants.

How would you describe your personal role in the market?

As an Area Sales Manager for Poland I’m responsible for the development and better recognition of our company in the subordinate territory. I am in intensive contact with our target groups together with my colleague Bartosz Mosinski from technical sales. Customers tell us time and again that they are happy to always have a direct contact person at K2. Every year we exhibit at three trade fairs for renewable energies in Poland to maximize visibility. The most important trade fair for us is the one for the energy industry and renewable energies “ENEX” in Kielce. It takes place every year in February and marks the start of the annual photovoltaic season. We also regularly hold webinars for the Polish PV market and conduct on-site training courses for customers.

Also interesting: André Kremer and Joel Wagner of Iqony Sens: Solar and wind become one unit

What are the particular challenges in the Polish PV market?

As already mentioned, the communication of quality. By this I don’t just mean the hardware quality, but the understanding of a complete package of coordinated planning software and substructure hardware and the resulting advantages for the user. We present our substructure as a particularly easy-to-install system with which all areas of PV installation can be covered, both during installation and during online-based planning.

Also interesting: Investment plan of 17 billion € in the energy transition by 2026”

What solutions do you offer on the Polish market?

We offer solutions for all types of flat and pitched roofs as well as for open-space systems. We also have car port and facade systems in our range. The only thing we do not have in our portfolio is Agri-PV. For all of our systems we have competitors in the market, including Polish manufacturers who offer PV mounting systems cheaply. We score points with our twenty years of experience, our promise of quality and the combination of sophisticated technology and a high level of planning depth. This brings our customers measurable advantages. Just one example is the significantly lower ballast for flat roof PV systems EAST-WEST when they are implemented with K2 software and our components.

Which tools do your customers in Poland use to plan

With our free B2B planning software “K2-Base”, we have created a low-threshold entry point for interested companies. Anyone can create an account, try it out and convince themselves of the very precise planning. The advantages of our offer are a combination of many components, including sustainable production. It brings customers and users a lot of benefit in the long term but may not be apparent at first glance. It is our job to communicate these connections in a market that is strongly driven by the lowest price.

Also interesting: Piotr Pysniak of Greto Polska: “The market is beginning to stabilize”

Where do you see the Polish PV market in 12 months?

This will depend very much on political decisions. In the area of single-family homes, a funding program called “My-Current” has just been adopted. The target group are homeowners who want to supply their buildings with solar power as much as possible. The government recently more than tripled the funding amount from 90 to 290 million euros. However, this amount is available for the period from 2024 to 2027. The application is bureaucratically complex. Whoever submits first is very likely to receive funding. Those who wait will probably miss out. Once the funding has been used up, demand in the residential sector will decline.

What about commercial installations?

This is not the case with commercial and industrial photovoltaic systems in Poland, as these are economical without state funding. Investors and companies also do not like to wait for state funding.The outdated Polish power grid, which is currently slowing down the expansion of economical open-space and commercial systems, is a problem with the expansion. The Polish government has recognized the problem and wants to push ahead with grid expansion. However, this takes time. A quick solution could be the strategic expansion of grid-friendly electricity storage facilities with large capacities to relieve the strain on the grid.

Also interesting: Katharina David of K2 Sytems: Strong Partner of installers

Interview by Manfred Gorgus

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Solar Energy

Steady market confidence as prices drop across categories

December 4, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The PV Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) remains a cornerstone for understanding market sentiment and demand trends in the European solar industry. This metric, derived from the purchasing intentions of over 20,000 registered users on the sun.store platform, serves as a valuable barometer of the industry’s health and future direction. With consistent participation from a diverse network of buyers—spanning installers, distributors, and many others—the PV PMI captures the nuanced shifts in purchasing behavior across the continent.

Sustained demand in a challenging market

In November, the PMI held steady at 68, maintaining the same level as in October. While this stability suggests resilience in demand, it also reflects a market that is cautiously navigating seasonal transitions and broader economic uncertainties. Buyers appear to be adjusting their strategies as the year-end approaches, with 51% planning to increase their purchases, a slight uptick from 50% last month. Meanwhile, 35% intend to maintain their current buying levels, and only 14% anticipate reducing their orders.

sun.store

The Purchase Managers‘ Index in November 2024 was stable.

This balance indicates that the European solar market continues to demonstrate robust confidence, even in the face of declining prices. The steady PMI underscores the ongoing commitment of buyers to secure high-quality components, leveraging favorable pricing trends to optimize their procurement strategies. As seasonal factors influence installation timelines and stock replenishment, the consistent PMI provides a reassuring signal that demand for solar solutions remains strong as the industry gears up for the coming year.

Filip Kierzkowski, Head of Partnerships & Trading, shared his perspective: “This steady PMI demonstrates the resilience of the European solar market, even as we enter the traditionally slower months. It’s encouraging to see consistent interest in high-quality components, despite external challenges.”

Development of PV panel prices since January 2024.

Key price trends for November: panels

Monofacial modules:

N-type: Prices fell by 7% to €0.091/Wp from €0.098/Wp in October. This decline reflects ongoing efforts by sellers to clear inventories ahead of year-end.

P-type: A more modest 2% drop brought prices to €0.088/Wp, down from €0.090/Wp, indicating relative stability in this category.

Bifacial modules:

N-type: Prices saw a significant 10% decline, reaching €0.093/Wp from €0.103/Wp, driven by intensified competition and surplus stock.

P-type: Insufficient sample size to establish trends for this category.

Full black modules:

Prices dropped by 9%, landing at €0.090/Wp, down from €0.099/Wp in October. The continued price decline highlights sustained oversupply and heightened competition among suppliers

Inverter pricing: mixed movements

Hybrid inverters showing both increases and decreases depending on capacity, while on-grid inverters generally experienced declines across the board.

Hybrid Inverters:

<15kW: Prices rose by 7% to €127.18/kW, up from €119.25/kW in October. This uptick reflects increased demand for advanced residential solutions, particularly premium brands like Huawei.

15+ kW: Prices fell by 7% to €84.32/kW, down from €90.69/kW. Larger systems faced slower demand due to a shift in buyer focus toward smaller, more flexible installations.

On-grid Inverters:

<15kW: Prices dropped by 8%, reaching €62.45/kW compared to €67.85/kW in October. This decline is attributed to weaker residential demand as seasonal factors take hold.

15+ kW: Prices dipped by 3% to €26.24/kW, down from €27.11/kW, signaling stabilized demand in larger-scale projects.

Also see: Europe must strengthen its production base for solar inverters

PV inverter prices showed a mixed picture.

Krzysztof Rejek, Head of Business Development at sun.store, offered insights into the trends: “The downward pricing trend persisted in November, with all segments hitting new lows—some module offers even nearing €0.05/Wp. Distributors continue their stock liquidation strategies, driven by end-of-year warehouse clearance efforts.“

Also see: Disappointing solar energy market leads to global shifts

„Looking ahead to December, we anticipate a slight uptick in prices due to China’s limited production capacity and a reduction in export tax rebates for modules. However, the availability of discounted stock from distressed distributors is likely to keep the overall average prices at competitive levels“, Krzysztof Rejek stresses.

Brand preferences: Jinko and Solis dominate

Jinko Solar continued to lead across all panel categories—maintaining its position as the top choice among sun.store users.
For inverters, Solis remained the preferred brand for systems under 15kW, while Huawei held its dominance in the 15+ kW category, reflecting their strong reputation for reliability and performance in larger installations.

In summary

The November pv.index paints a clear picture of a market marked by steady demand and competitive pricing. Panel prices continue to trend downward, while inverter categories present a mixed bag of price changes influenced by evolving buyer preferences and year-end dynamics.

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About – pv.index & The PV Purchasing Managers’ Index (PV PMI)

pv.index traces current trading prices for solar components on a monthly basis. Data is recorded on sun.store, a leading online PV trading platform with 7.8 GW+ of components on offer and more than 20,000 registered users. Trading prices are weighted by the power of components involved in the transactions to arrive at a reliable estimate for the whole market.

The PV Purchasing Managers’ Index (PV PMI) is a measure indicating the overall sentiment towards the demand in the PV industry. PV PMI shows whether demand is expected to expand (above 50), remain stable, or contract (below 50), as perceived by purchasing managers.

The PV PMI was calculated as: PMI = (P1 * 1) + (P2 * 0.5) + (P3 * 0), where: P1 = percentage of answers reporting an improvement, P2 = percentage of answers reporting no change, P3 = percentage of answers reporting a deterioration. Survey is based on a sample of 800+ sun.store buyers. (hcn)

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Solar Energy

U.S. Solar Manufacturing Surges – Solar Industry

December 4, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Inside the module manufacturing line at First Solar

The U.S. added a record-breaking 9.3 GW of new solar module manufacturing capacity in the third quarter, including five new or expanded factories in Alabama, Florida, Ohio and Texas.

Total U.S. solar module manufacturing capacity is now nearly 40 GW.

The latest U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2024 report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie shows that at full capacity, U.S. solar module factories can produce enough equipment to meet nearly all demand for solar in the United States.

Notably, solar cell manufacturing resumed in the third quarter as silicon cells were manufactured in the U.S. for the first time since 2019.

The U.S. solar industry installed 8.6 GW of new electricity generation capacity in Q3, representing a 21% year-over-year increase and the largest third quarter ever for the industry.

The utility-scale segment led the industry, with 6.6 GW of new projects coming online. Utilities and businesses are driving this growth as they procure significant levels of solar to meet rising demand for electricity. The commercial and community solar markets also experienced strong gains in the third quarter, growing by 44% and 12% year-over-year, respectively.

Texas continues to lead the nation in solar deployment, adding 2.4 GW of capacity in Q3. The Lone Star State accounts for 26% of all new capacity to come online so far in 2024. Florida has installed the second-most solar capacity in 2024, and nearly 30,000 Florida households have installed solar this year.

In the last two years, 1.4 million American households have used federal incentives to install solar and lower their energy costs.

“Our current outlook for the next five years has the U.S. solar industry growing 2 percent per year on average, reaching a cumulative total of nearly 450 GW by the end of 2029,” says Michelle Davis, head of solar research at Wood Mackenzie and lead author of the report.

“Demand for solar remains robust, and annual installation forecasts would be higher if not for limitations the industry faces, including those related to interconnection, labor availability, supply constraints, and policy.”

Total solar deployment in 2024 is again expected to exceed 40 GW, followed by annual installation volumes of at least 43 GW for the remainder of the decade.

By 2029, total U.S. solar will be enough to power over 71 million homes.

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Solar Energy

Norwegian Glint Solar closes $8 million Series A funding round

December 3, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Founded in 2020 by Harald Olderheim, Even Kvelland and John Modin, the Norwegian startup Glint Solar aims to accelerate the adoption of solar power through its SaaS platform, which enables solar developers to evaluate and pre-design sites in a matter of minutes.

The company promises that with the platform solar solar developers could triple their project pipeline and evaluate project sites 10 times faster than traditional methods. It blends adaptable layout designs and yield estimates with country-specific GIS data and topographic analysis. The user-friendly collaboration hub would give teams full oversight and control over essential project data, the company claims. 3D-rendered project layouts created in seconds would allow users to slash land negotiation times and powerfully communicate projects to stakeholders.

Rapid growth since its $3 million Seed round in 2022

Gustav Alberius, Chief Strategy Officer at Turn Energy, a customer of Glint Solar, said: “The Glint Solar software has significantly boosted our development processes by having a centralised platform where we can evaluate buildability, permit conditions and yield as early as in the origination process. It has effectively allowed us to triple our project pipeline and reduce development costs. We’re very excited to follow Glint Solar’s continued innovations in the solar software space.”

Also see: Efficient obstruction detection for solar project planning using AI

Glint Solar has experienced rapid growth since its $3 million Seed round in 2022, with its customer base more than tripling in the last 12 months. The software is used by small to large solar developers and energy companies in more than 35 countries globally, including Recurrent Energy, Statkraft and E.ON.

Also interesting: Inion Software sees major growth in renewable energy projects in 2024

This latest investment will be used to expand both into new markets and the overall product offering, serving both existing and new solar developers. To support this, the company will grow its sales and product development teams, aiming to more than double its current headcount of 30 over the next 12 months. The product will grow into a wider platform to solve key challenges for developers, including a battery energy storage systems (BESS) feature to help project developers identify where to develop energy storage units.

Speed up the global solar adoption

Harald Olderheim, CEO and Co-founder of Glint Solar, said: “To counteract the effects of climate change, renewable energy needs to be adopted at a faster pace. The UN IPCC report says that 70-85% of the world’s electricity must come from renewable sources by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of a warming planet. Luckily, utility-scale solar is quickly becoming the most cost-efficient form of energy one can build – in Texas, for example, it has overtaken coal as the most important energy source. The remaining factor is to also make solar energy development time efficient. Software is at the heart of the solution and this investment allows us to continue to push the boundaries of making complex, fragmented data and insights easily accessible, directly impacting the speed of global solar adoption.” (hcn)

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Solar Energy

Solar system in Austria protects berries and allows citizen participation

December 3, 2024 ryansheehanrts

It is a project that farmer Johann Deix planned carefully. He started producing raspberries and blackberries in 2018. However, the berries don’t like it hot or wet. At the same time, he learned from a study by Wageningen University in the Netherlands that the fruit can tolerate up to 40 per cent shade without complaint.

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The Dutch scientists also found that the fruit grows more slowly when there is more shade. This is an advantage for the farmer. He can extend his harvest by allowing some of the berries to grow in the sun and others in the shade.

Harvest season extended

These arguments persuaded Johann Deix to cover part of his plantation with semi-transparent solar modules with 35 per cent shading. The other parts have remained under the previous foil tunnels. This allows him to extend the harvest season and enjoy other benefits of the agri-PV system.

The solar modules protect the berries from heavy rain, hail and overheating. The system also requires less work than the foil tunnels, which have to be replaced regularly. ‘It also gets really hot in the 1,800 metres of foil tunnel in summer,’ explains Johann Deix. This is not good for the raspberries, nor for the farmer and his employees.

Solar power for self-consumption

The solar system also supplies a lot of electricity, which the farmer can consume directly on site. This is because the farmer needs around 120,000 kilowatt hours of electricity every year to cool the harvested berries. The new solar system with its 499 kilowatts of power will supply around four and a half times as much electricity.

Dual use of land: Download our Special Edition on agri-PV

The farmer shares the rest of the electricity with his neighbours. Matthias Zawichowski, manager of the climate and energy model region (KEM) Elsbeere Wienerwald, supported Johann Deix with the project development and is organising a local renewable energy community around the plant.

New financing idea

The farmer also took an unusual approach to financing. He gave anyone who wanted to the opportunity to participate. The citizen participation runs via so-called ‘solar building blocks’. This means that for a one-off payment of 360 euros, supporters receive a total of 36 bottles of raspberry Prosecco and six kilograms of raspberries over three years. ‘As well as a clear conscience,’ emphasises Matthias Zawichowski. The system is also subsidised via a market premium in accordance with the Austrian Renewable Energy Expansion Act.

Also interesting: Let the show begin! Sonnenkraft installs PV on listed theatre in Austria

Solar openings at Energy Decentral

You will also find solutions like this at this year’s Energy Decentral. Photovoltaics will take centre stage at the trade fair dedicated to the decentralised supply of renewable energy to farms. As part of the solar offensive spotlight, farmers and suppliers of solar systems and storage units will come into direct contact with each other. Find out more about the solar offensive here. (su/mfo)

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Solar Energy

Disappointing solar energy market leads to global shifts

December 3, 2024 ryansheehanrts

“Actually, things are going badly all over the world,” says Gerard Scheper. “Only in the US, Australia and China things are still going quite well.”

With consumer demand still very low, market recovery seems a long way off. A phenomenon that plays out worldwide with a few exceptions. “Very little is still happening in the private market and the pipeline for 2025 is still virtually empty for many companies,” says Scheper.

Low margins – storage market a cycle path

“On top of that, the margins on the products sold are also low. When the market emerged, there were still gross margins of 25 percent with low sales. After sales went up, that margin dropped towards 15 percent. Now companies are on margins of 10 to 15 percent and nothing is being sold. Although the sale of home batteries can compensate somewhat, they are still not the volumes in which solar panels were sold until recently.”

Also see: “A company cannot be on hold for a year”

The business market is a completely different story. “That works out quite well. The market is at about 80 percent of what it was until recently. Here, too, more and more projects with energy storage of up to 100 kilowatt hours are being built. Especially for farmers and SMEs, who already have solar panels on their roofs, an investment in battery storage is extremely lucrative. Until recently, the solar market was a really busy, big highway. The energy storage market is just a cycle path,” says Scheper.

New players are entering the market

“Energy storage is much more complicated in terms of certification, bank guarantees, grid connection and software. Connecting the software to the grid is also more complicated because it can differ per country what this looks like. In the Netherlands, for example, this is very different from Belgium and Germany. On top of that, you don’t always have to deal with the most flexible parties. That also makes it interesting, because it is not at all certain that the brands that are now big in the battery market will soon dominate the market. Whole new players are entering the market.”

For the free WOS storage report, register here: https://theworldofsolar.com /free-market-outlook-report

The fact that the solar energy market is not moving fast is a global phenomenon. After energy prices have dropped back to their old level, the increased demand for solar panels does not appear to be permanent. “Only in the US, Australia and China things are still going quite well. In the US, solar panel producers can get three times more for their panels than in Europe. As a result, they still earn more in the US – despite the import tariffs – than in Europe,” says Scheper.

Changes in the Chinese domestic market

“This is leading to Chinese solar panel manufacturers moving their European teams en masse to these areas. Chinese manufacturers who previously focused only on foreign markets are now also focusing on their own domestic market. Some of them have had a domestic office and a sales team for one or two years, they do have a chance. Or they enter into a partnership with another party that has been active there for a while.”

Also see: Central & Eastern Europe: Utility-scale storage market set to increase fivefold by 2030

But according to Scheper, something else is changing in the Chinese market. “Producers of polysilicon and wafers are taking matters into their own hands and are now also producing and selling solar panels. They have a stable overcapacity of 50 percent and think they can earn more if they also make the end product themselves. In this way, they do not have to scale down their production of polysilicon and wafers.”

Reduced tax benefit on Chinese module exports

Finally, it is the top Tier 1 manufacturers who have put their stock on sale for some areas at even lower prices. “In this way, they want to create liquidity and then they just leave that area. Dutch companies in the solar energy sector will therefore have to ask for clarity from their Chinese suppliers: How important is Europe to you and what will that be like in the next quarter?”

Also see: General price decline continues amid steady demand in the European solar market

Last Friday it was announced that the Chinese government has intervened and reduced a tax benefit on the export of solar panels by 4%. This means that all panels shipped from China after 1-12 will become 4% more expensive. The rumors are that the Chinese government may also reverse the remaining 9% tax benefit and that could mean that the price will be driven up by 13% in a short time. (GS/hcn)

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Solar Energy

Oregon Utility Signs on to Back 120 MW Solar Development

December 2, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The Pachwáywit Fields solar installation in Gilliam County, Ore.

Avangrid Inc. and Portland General Electric have signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for Tower Solar, a new 120 MW AC solar energy project now under construction in Morrow County, Ore., in collaboration with QTS and Meta.

The facility will deliver energy to Portland General Electric’s grid through Green Future Impact (GFI), a voluntary program designed to help large commercial, industrial and municipal customers meet their sustainability and carbon reduction goals through the development of new clean energy facilities.

Subscribers to PGE’s GFI program enroll in a bundled renewable energy product and receive the renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated with the energy generated from the new facility. PGE’s subscription pricing is designed to avoid cost shifting to non-participating customers.

Under PGE’s GFI program, QTS, a data center solutions provider, is developing a data center campus to support Meta’s operations in the region that will be supported by energy from Tower Solar, helping to meet Meta’s sustainability and 100% renewable energy goals.

“The Green Future Impact program allows PGE to partner with our largest customers like QTS to meet their ambitious sustainability goals through local clean energy,” says PGE’s Brett Greene. “Through GFI, our largest customers can fund the development of the renewable resources they need while supporting green jobs and revenue for Oregon communities.”

Tower Solar will be located just west of Boardman and located on about 900 acres of industrially zoned land owned by the Port of Morrow near the Boardman Airport. The project will utilize more than 200,000 solar panels.

At the peak of construction, Avangrid expects Tower Solar to create more than 200 jobs, the vast majority of which will be sourced from the region. Tower Solar is expected to pay about $20 million in combined PILOTs (payment in lieu of taxes) and property taxes.

Avangrid is the leading supplier of renewable energy to PGE’s Green Future Impact program, including from Pachwáywit Fields, Oregon’s largest operating solar facility, and the Daybreak and Bakeoven solar farms, which are currently under construction.

Together with Tower Solar, the current combined capacity of the Green Future Impact program facilities will be 482 MW AC.

Tower Solar will become Avangrid’s sixth solar facility in Oregon once construction is complete in 2026.

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Solar Energy

Sonnenkraft installs PV on listed theatre

December 2, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The system provider Sonnenkraft, based in St. Veit an der Glan in southern Austria, has implemented a special project in the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt: a photovoltaic system on the municipal theatre. “With the implementation of this strategically important project for the Klagenfurt Municipal Theatre, we, as a leading cultural institution, are taking an important step towards sustainable management,” explains Matthias Walter, Commercial Director of the theatre. The artistic director of the municipal theatre adds: “In these times of climate crisis, which cannot be denied, we have to rethink. How can we treat this world – and we only have one – with care? The municipal theatre is setting a good example with its solar power photovoltaic system.”

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The first thoughts about installing the solar system came in 2023, when the more than 1,900 lamps and lights in and around the theatre were completely converted to LED technology. However, as the theatre building is a listed building, this was not so easy.

Installing invisible from street level

However, after consultation with the Federal Monuments Office and other relevant authorities, the installers from Sonnenkraft were able to mount modules on the flat roof of the new building. However, it had to be ensured that the modules could not be seen from the street. If they are visible, they must not detract from the overall appearance of the building.

Installed on a copper seam

Malte Forstat

The modules were therefore installed in such a way that they form a visual unit with the copper roof below. To do this, the fitters installed them parallel to the roof on a rail system that was attached to the seams of the copper roof. In this way, the craftsmen were able to install a total of 185 panels with a total output of 75 kilowatts on the 350 square metre roof.

60 megawatt hours of solar power for culture

The municipal theatre uses almost all of the electricity generated itself. Due to its less than perfect orientation, the system supplies around 60,000 kilowatt hours of solar power every year. With its stage, workshops and offices, the theatre requires around 520,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. Thanks to the innovative cooperation with Sonnenkraft, the renowned theatre can increase its energy efficiency and significantly reduce its operating costs,” emphasises Reinhard Pasterk, Technical Managing Director of Sonnenkraft.

Also interesting: Pioneering commercial PV rooftop installation in Austria

System is sponsored

The theatre did not have to put up any money of its own. This is because Sonnenkraft sponsored the new generator on the roof. “This innovative sponsorship creates a future-oriented partnership that not only promotes sustainable energy solutions, but also supports cultural diversity and focuses on new creative impulses and local value creation,” says Dajana Scherr, Head of Marketing at Sonnenkraft. (su/mfo)

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“Good prospects in a sustainably booming market”

December 2, 2024 ryansheehanrts

How is the role of your company in the Polish PV economy described best?

Growatt is a new energy enterprise dedicated to research, development and manufacturing of photovoltaic components. Our products range from inverters, power storage systems and charging stations for electric vehicles as well as smart energy management solutions.

When did you enter the Polish market?

We entered the Polish market in 2014 and since Growatt has been deeply involved in the Polish photovoltaic and energy storage economy for several years. We have been winning the “Top Brand PV Poland award” for many consecutive years. The company established an own branch in Katowice to provide products and timely technical support for local customers and installers.

Also interesting: Polish Development Bank signs financing agreement with R.Power

How is Growatt perceived in the Polish market?

According to the latest report from global research firm S&P Global, Growatt was the world’s second-largest residential inverter supplier and the fifth-largest PV inverter supplier in 2023. This gives us a good reputation that our regional customers are happy to take advantage of.

What services and products do you offer?

We offer our entire product range on the Polish market. As for residential storage solution we have also battery ready inverters and UPS hybrid storage inverters, pure off-grid inverter, and all-in-one solution for single phase and three-phase systems. We also offer our portable power stations on the Polish market, which are designed for outdoor and camping. The capacities range from 550 to 3600 Watt-hours. For corporate and industry projects, we have WIT 50-100K-HU and WIT 29.9-50K-XHU with commercial battery system. They all support the parallel connection for on and off-grid connection.

Also interesting: EU: Higher solar targets – but grid and storage planning insuffienct.

Do you offer solutions for the changed feed-in regulation for residential photovoltaics in Poland?

Of particular interest to the Polish market is our freely available software tool. It enables energy management to work with dynamic electricity tariffs. This means that new photovoltaic systems are ideally prepared for the new legal requirements in the Polish energy market. The system supports day ahead electricity prices acquisition automatically and meets the electricity purchase and sale rate setting requirements of different power grid companies. Power generation and load consumption forecasts can be achieved by combining meteorological information and the user’s individual electricity consumption habits. The system is also able to adapt to negative electricity price scenarios.

How do you focus on the conditions of a national market?

As an international company our products have been installed in more than 180 countries. To provide fast product delivery, efficient customer service and technical support, Growatt has established an extensive network. We operate 42 offices and warehouses worldwide. One of our branches in Poland.

Also interesting: Tomasz Bodetko of PST Group: “We need more energy storage facilities for balancing the grid”

So you believe in the Polish PV market?

The polish photovoltaic-market is growing at incredible speed and has the potential to become one of the fastest growing markets with excellent prospects especially in perspective of the still large CO2-based power production in the country.

What developments in the Polish PV industry do you expect in the next 4 to 12 months.

We have noticed that Poland has introduced a new round of incentive measures for new energies, especially for industrial and commercial storage. Demand for components in this area is likely to increase in the coming months. Our Smart Scheduling Mode fits well with the politically initiated adjustment to dynamic electricity prices. With the announced expansion of the electricity grids, we see a growing market for large-scale photovoltaic power plants in Poland in the long term, with a corresponding increase in demand for products. Good prospects in a sustainably booming market.

Interview by Manfred Gorgus

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Solar Energy

What happened in Baku: Why the deals at COP29 are the best possible outcome

November 29, 2024 ryansheehanrts

And in no small part thanks to Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. Which in itself is peculiar as Azerbaijan was hauled over hot coals in the run up to the event, for allegedly not being able to fulfill its role of “honest broker” (being a “petrostate”).

And yet, the deal that Azerbaijan brokered includes a tripling of the finance deal for developing countries (last negotiated at COP21 in Paris), from $100 billion to $300 billion for climate change loss and damage mitigation. The funding is part of a financial package adding up to $1.3 trillion in “blended finance” by 2035. As COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev says in the article for the Guardian describing the final days of the negotiations, that financial deal would have been more generous, had Western countries backed the $500 billion proposed by China.

New deal on carbon market trading

There is more. In addition to the money paid into the Loss and Damage Fund, COP29 also sealed a new deal on carbon market trading, pursuant to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. As UNFCCC states “after nearly a decade of work, countries have agreed on… making country-to-country trading and a carbon crediting mechanism fully operational.” And adds, “This is good news for developing countries, who will benefit from new flows of finance, and it is particularly good news for least developed countries, who will get the capacity-building support they need to get a foothold in the market.”

Also see: Multilateral development banks to reinforce climate finance

The COP29 Presidency also launched an initiative on peace, relief and recovery (Baku Call) which will tackle the nexus between climate change and armed conflict, focusing on water scarcity, food insecurity, land degradation and human displacement. While UNFCCC hailed progress on transparency stating that, “Transparent climate reporting made big strides forward in Baku… with Parties expressing their appreciation for the timely completion of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) reporting tools.”

On adaptation there were a number of outcomes. The COP29 decision relating to the least developed countries (LDCs) establishes a support programme for the implementation of National Adaptation Plans. And in addition to a High-Level Dialogue on National Adaptation Plans, the Baku Workplan elevated the voices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in climate action.

Widening participation in climate action

There were also gender and climate change initiatives, recognising that women are hit disproportionately hard by the climate crisis. These initiatives extended the Lima Work Programme on Gender and Climate Change for another 10 years. Finally, a number of initiatives were aimed at widening participation in climate action. These are Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), the Youth-led Climate Forum and increased visibility for High-Level Climate Champions.

So, was COP29 a success? According to UNFCCC figures there were 55,000 people in attendance, making it the second largest COP, after Dubai in 2023. So certainly in that sense it hasn’t failed. But, the real question is whether has delivered on its promise to provide effective means of combating climate change.

Also see: IRENA is calling for ambitious NDC updates

To answer this question let us try a counterfactual approach. Let’s assume that the Parties rejected the offer of $300 billion and no progress was made on carbon trading. Would have that enabled a better deal in Belem at COP30? I think not. Actually, had the Parties rejected the deal in Baku, there would have been nothing on the table in Belem.

Counterweight to climate deniers

In January 2025 climate change denier Donald Trump will enter the White House. Trump has already appointed the fracking magnate Chris Wright as energy secretary. According to media reports, Wright has dismissed the idea of a global energy transition, asserting that “there is no climate crisis”. Such developments are emboldening climate change deniers such as President Milei of Argentina, who denounced climate change as a “socialist lie” (Argentian delegation withdrew from COP29).

Also see: Trump’s re-election brings significant challenges for climate protection

In addition, in February Germany goes to the polls. Significantly, the early elections were triggered by Chancellor Scholz’ proposals to close a €10 billion gap in the 2025 budget, by cutting, amongst other items, climate protection measures. Close to Germany, debt-to-GDP ratios in France and Italy remain perilously high, putting any decision on climate funding in jeopardy.

To sum up, the deal in Baku was the best possible deal in the circumstances. This might not be the most popular point of view, but certainly reason has prevailed. Azerbaijan as the COP29 Presidency has done a good job of marshalling the deal through. Had the deal not happened this year, there would have been very little chance of any deal next year. Anyone who thinks that climate change is indeed the greatest societal challenge of our times, should welcome the outcome of COP29 as broadly positive. (GS/hcn)

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