Specialized Trade - Elite Home & Solar

Solar Energy

BayWa r.e. integrates smarter tools and larger ambitions

June 20, 2025 ryansheehanrts

Digital tools for streamlined planning

The free Solar Planit planning tool from BayWa r.e. now links system design, ordering and installation into a cohesive, digitalised process chain. It allows simple, efficient system planning, generating project-specific reports including parts lists, structural calculations and installation drawings. A new function enables installers to create rapid quotations, which can be converted into full project plans if an order is placed. These quotations are linked to the online shop and reflect customer-specific pricing.

And the winner is… your solar business

Multiple buildings can now be planned within one project using Solar Planit. A live demo in Munich showed that the tool will soon support automatic circuit diagram creation – greatly streamlining electrical installation and making the platform more powerful for wholesalers and project planners alike.

Broader project and storage services

The Solar Projects division is reinforcing its core business in constructing large-scale ground-mounted PV plants. Looking ahead, high-capacity, grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) will also be prioritised, deployed as stand-alone assets or integrated with solar fields. BayWa r.e. is concurrently expanding its asset operations portfolio, offering technical and commercial operations management, performance optimisation and modernisation of PV systems, and now also management of storage parks.

BayWa r.e.’s sells largest European battery project

At the trade fair, BayWa r.e.’s Solar Trade division introduced several new storage systems, including the HVB solution from BYD and Fronius’ new Reserva product. Altogether, a total of 50 state-of-the-art storage solutions from 20 suppliers are now available through the company’s online shop. For commercial and industrial customers, BayWa r.e. is preparing a tailored offering that draws on its project expertise and long-standing wholesale network. BayWa r.e. is also developing a 136 MW PV plant on a former military site in France – a prominent example of land reuse for utility-scale clean energy production.

Smart operations and cybersecurity

Secure, intelligent and reliable handling of operational data was a key topic in Munich. BayWa r.e.’s Data Services division showcased advanced monitoring tools designed to meet growing cybersecurity requirements. Artificial intelligence supports fault detection and data analysis, allowing operators to act on anomalies more quickly and maintain system stability.

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Energy trading and financial optimisation

Proactive maintenance and monitoring are vital to protecting investments and enabling project refinancing. BayWa r.e. continues to develop services that ensure long-term profitability across both PV and storage business models.

In the field of energy trading, the company is enhancing the commercial performance of its storage assets by reacting to electricity market price signals. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) are gaining importance in financing strategies, alongside direct electricity marketing.

Solar Investors Guide – ELTIF 2.0 and PPAs open doors for investment

Low-emission logistics and practical hardware updates

To support decarbonisation in its supply chain, BayWa r.e. is trialling the use of electric trucks for product deliveries – a step towards reducing the carbon footprint of its logistics operations. Under its Novotegra brand, the company also introduced practical innovations for mounting systems. These include fast-install solutions for large-format PV modules on commercial rooftops and a new insertion rail for concrete façades and trapezoidal sheet metal. For pitched roofs, a new anchor option complements Novotegra’s proven systems for tiled surfaces. (HS/TF)

Find out more about the projects at BayWa r.e. here

Fresh solutions and products for rooftop PV installation

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Solar Energy

Supply chains increasingly going green

April 23, 2025 ryansheehanrts

Europe’s largest solar retailer has a clear vision: “For us, renewable energy and sustainability go hand in hand,” says Frank Jessel, CEO of BayWa r.e. Solar Trade in Tübingen. “As a sustainable company, we see it as our responsibility to cut CO₂ emissions across the board , whether in our internal processes or through how we manage our logistics and supply chains.”

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Roof and façades with solar modules

A prime example of sector coupling and sustainability is BayWa r.e.’s new, self-sufficient buildings in Tübingen, completed in 2023. These CO₂-neutral structures use eco-friendly materials and generate solar power from both the roof and façade. The energy is stored in high-performance systems, with the halls featuring UPS and concrete core activation for energy storage.

Background: TÜV Rheinland: Increasing requirements for solar modules

Installed with 1.3 megawatts of solar modules on the roof and facade, the warehouse generates around 1.3 million kilowatt-hours annually – almost double what’s needed. The power runs industrial trucks, 54 charging stations for electric cars, and e-bikes for employees. It also provides electricity, heat, and air conditioning through innovative ceiling heating and cooling systems. The concept is further supported by six large heat pumps and a solar storage system with a one-megawatt-hour capacity.

Powered logistics

In collaboration with long-term logistics partner Emons Logistik, BayWa r.e. Solar Trade is testing the fully electric Mercedes-Benz E Actros 300 in real-world operations. The truck, which is powered entirely by green electricity from its own solar system, has already completed several regional delivery trips.

Equipped with three 112 kWh battery packs, the E Actros 300 consumes 336 kWh and offers a range of up to 220 kilometres – perfect for short and medium distances with zero emissions.

Fraunhofer ISE: Solar module output often overstated

Stackable packaging

In 2024, BayWa r.e. Solar Trade began developing a new environmentally friendly packaging system. The goal: stackable pallets with minimal plastic film.

The project resulted in six new cardboard packaging designs. These stackable pallets optimise loading space, which further serves to reduce emissions during transport. In Tübingen alone, this innovation saves an average of three truckloads per day, cutting 438 tons of CO₂ every year.

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The Venlo warehouse in the Netherlands serves as a fully climate-neutral logistics hub. Certified “Excellent” by the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), the warehouse features a 954 kWh photovoltaic system on the roof, providing enough energy to run both the facility and its CO₂-neutral vehicle fleet.

From truck to barge

Another means of reducing emissions is intermodal transport, namely, the combination of different modes of transportation. For a large portion of components imported via Rotterdam, shipments to the central European warehouse in Venlo have been switched from road to inland waterway vessels. This shift removes 1,500 trucks from the road and cuts around 200 tonnes of CO₂ annually. The integration of inland vessels not only supports the retailer’s sustainability goals but also boosts supply chain efficiency. (HS/TF)

More information at the BayWa r.e. website

More on supply chains: Solar Stewardship Initiative: Supply Chain Traceability Standard published

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Solar Energy

Interview EWS – „Germany at the heart of residential battery storage expansion in Northern Europe“

February 26, 2025 ryansheehanrts

EWS is focusing on “Northern Europe”. What does that mean and how does EWS see the market development in the focus markets?

Jan Paul Dahm: In addition to Germany, we focus on the Netherlands and Scandinavia, but of course we also supply customers in Belgium, Austria, etc. Unfortunately, all Northern European countries are currently experiencing a decline in demand, after PV components were in short supply everywhere in the last two years and production capacities were massively expanded.

We believe that the main reasons for the current reluctance are high interest rates, lower electricity prices and, unfortunately, intransparent policies. The fact that politicians do not understand the uncertainty they are creating with their reluctance to take necessary decisions and measures seems to be a cross-border problem.

As a result, many warehouses in all parts of the retail chain are still well stocked and prices are continuing to spiral downwards, even for mainstream products from well-known manufacturers.

Can you see any light in the darkness?

Yes, prices for full black and glass/glass modules, for example, are rising again, and for all other product groups the downward trend is at least slowing down noticeably.

Another very positive “cross-border trend” is the self-consumption of the electricity produced to optimise the economic efficiency of the systems. This makes the industry less dependent on subsidies and political sentiment.

It also raises awareness of issues such as sector coupling, electricity storage or time-varying electricity tariffs. Although this means that systems require more explanation to the end customer, it has great potential in terms of both cost-effectiveness and CO2 savings.

What role do the neighbouring countries play for EWS as a German distributor?

A big one! Most of the “foreign markets” are much closer to our location on the Danish border than they are to Bavaria, which of course gives us logistical advantages. We have invested a lot, not only in native-speaking customer advisors and customer service, but also, for example, in five more language versions of our software solutions.

One exciting thing that all these PV markets have in common is that battery storage, at least in the residential sector, is just being discovered. In Germany, we are used to virtually every rooftop system being offered with a battery, and EWS alone has sold over 100,000 systems. We now want to share our experience with our trading partners in neighbouring countries.

So you think there is a lot of catching up to do in terms of home storage know-how? On the part of customers or installers?

Both, I would say. The need for education and training is very high at the moment in all our overseas markets.

It’s not about how to mount or connect a battery storage system – that’s relatively simple compared to the rest of the PV system. But there is still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to selling to end customers or designing a storage system. Rules of thumb are not enough to make a PV storage system cost effective and attractive to the end customer.

What help is there for installers when it comes to storage?

There are training courses and seminars available from many more or less independent sources, as well as good video material on the subject. The difficulty is in distinguishing between promotional content and genuinely neutral, informative formats.

My tip would be to rely on offers and material from associations or distributors representing several brands. They are more interested in providing real information than in profiling individual products.

We also provide our clients with information material that they can attach to their offers or simply take with them to their customers. This gives them much more confidence in the conversation and makes them look more professional.

What role does software play?

As always, the most important tool is digital. Professional design software not only ensures that a storage system is compatible with the other components of the PV system, but also helps to select the right size of storage and, ideally, even the necessary accessories. We added this functionality to our PV design software many years ago and continue to lead the way.

What does your tool do that no other software can do?

Most “design tools” are nothing more than a simple rule of proportion that relates the size of the storage to the power of the PV system. But as you can imagine, it makes a big difference whether the system is on a private house or a commercial building, and whether it faces south, east or west. We have the great advantage of being able to implement the storage design into our existing PV design software.

As a result, we already have all the information about the PV system and its operator in the software and can match generation and consumption profiles in a full annual simulation. This allows us to predict exactly which size of storage will go through how many charging cycles per year.

EWS

The softwarte QuickCalc provides an electricity storage design based on generation and load profile and taking into account individual customer requirements.

The whole software is then structured in such a way that you can even use sliders to adjust the end customer’s ideas, for example in the direction of greater profitability or independence. Of course, this is much more persuasive in the sales process than a brochure. And by the way, like all our software solutions, QuickCalc is completely free for PV professionals!

How do storage manufacturers support installers?

Almost every manufacturer also offers information events, but as I said, these formats are rarely free of advertising. The quality of the content also varies greatly. For example, if a manufacturer is not sufficiently established in a country to take into account local characteristics and conditions. And in many cases you have to work with English information.

So should installers rely on products “made in Europe”?

That’s a very sensitive issue at the moment, but that’s not what I wanted to say. In fact, I don’t think it’s possible to reduce our dependence on Asian suppliers. Without the massive research and production capacity in China, for example, our European energy transition would be unthinkable.

In terms of service and training, well-established Asian manufacturers are not far behind their European competitors. But I have to admit that without experience it is difficult to distinguish reliable brands from the “mayflies”.

The best way to separate the wheat from the chaff among the many manufacturers is to look to those wholesalers who have a hard-earned reputation to lose. We are extremely selective when it comes to our suppliers, whether they are from Asia or Europe.

The interview was conducted by Hans-Christoph Neidlein

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Solar Energy

Fully climate-neutral PV logistics centre

October 30, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The agreement for the comprehensive logistics project, between BayWa r.e. Solar Trade and Seacon Logistics, was finalised during the leading international trade fair “Transport Logistic” in Munich. The partners are developing a completely climate-neutral logistics hub at the Wanssum container port for the distribution of photovoltaic products from BayWa r.e. Solar Trade.

The finalised project will have a storage capacity of over 50,000 m², making it the largest hub out of currently 66 in the BayWa r.e. Solar Trade supply chain. The aim is to increase and continuously develop customer service and efficiency in all aspects of the business including the handling of sea freight, warehousing, transport alongside customs and import services. The ground-breaking project is scheduled for completion in early 2024.

7.3 MW PV rooftop installation

Certified “Excellent” by BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) the final concept of the logistics hub includes a PV system with a capacity of 7.3 MW on the roofs of the hub. This system will provide enough electricity for the entire logistics hub including the electrified barges, terminal trucks and car fleet. In line with both Seacon’s and BayWa r.e.’s sustainability policy the logistics hub will therefore be entirely climate-neutral.

Also interesting: Krannich Solar: 5 new warehouses in Europe and America

Frank Jessel, Global Director of Solar Trade at BayWa r.e., says: “The hub at the Wanssum container port will enable us to offer our customers an even better service in the future. The increased connectivity reduces delivery and storage times, while at the same time increasing product availability. Last but not least, the project is designed to be completely sustainable, so together with our partner Seacon we are setting an example in the fight against climate change.”

Efficient and sustainable security of supply

Dominik Dohr, Global Head Supply Chain Solar Trade at BayWa r.e., adds: “In order to make product availability and security of supply for our customers as efficient and sustainable as possible, the new logistics hub in Wanssum plays an essential role in our supply chain. The direct barge connection to the container port of Rotterdam makes Wanssum our gateway for importing PV modules for the European market. Service, efficiency and sustainability are harmonised here.”

Did you miss that? Schletter Group extends logistics and production

Sylvester van de Logt, CEO of Seacon Logistics, adds: “The cooperation with BayWa r.e. Solar Trade fits perfectly with our vision of creating significant added value along our customers’ supply chains and continuously improving our service. In concrete terms, this means tailor-made end-to-end supply chain solutions based on a sustainable foundation that has been awarded “Excellent” by BREEAM. Together with BayWa r.e. Solar Trade, Seacon will in future take on the responsible task of making optimum use of the electricity generated.” (hcn)

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Solar Energy

CEO Interview – Bertrand Chevalley of AEG SolarSolutions: “People trust in our brands”

September 26, 2024 ryansheehanrts

Solar Solution offers packages for solar installers, branded at AEG in Germany. For international markets the brands are Electrolux and Duracell. What is the strategy behind it with your brands in the solar markets?

Bertrand Chevalley: We are experts in bringing world brands to the solar industry with marketing and quality. This is what we do. Our strategy is to find partners and markets that are sensitive to these brands. Each of these brands has a different recognition in each market. We need to wisely select our supply partner, product range and brand.

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AEG, Electrolux, and since this year, it’s DuraCell. What is the difference between them?

It’s a difference in each country and each market. For instance, Electrolux brand is obviously more famous in Scandinavia, where it belongs. AEG is a German brand, but it’s also quite famous in Benelux, France and obviously Central European countries.

And the Duracell?

Duracell is a typical worldwide brand. It’s famous on all continents.

And it’s focused on batteries, right?

Obviously, it is. But we can also bring solar panels with this brand together with the batteries or the storage systems.

Watch the full interview on YouTube

Do you offer new battery systems this year?

It is not only a new battery, it’s a new strategy to address the commercial and industrial storage businesses. We open up from the private sector to more commercialized sector, growing with the need of our customers. There is rising demand for bigger storage systems in all the markets.

More about new specialized trade for solar installers

How do you ensure the quality of the products that you offer under the umbrella of your brands?

First of all, we have a very strict selection of our manufacturing partners. We have to qualify them, inspect them and then we also have our own team in Asia inspecting each single batch of production. We give our own design and bill of material criteria and our own quality control sheet. So they can follow strictly independently and ensure us and our customers that we deliver the quality that matches with these powerful brands.

More innovation on video – watch PV Guided Tours!

That’s a lot of effort you’re doing to keep the quality as high as possible. Can the installers rely on this?

It’s a lot of effort, yes, but this is why we are here. We cannot bring such big brands without having the related quality level.

You mentioned Scandinavia and the Benelux. Which other markets in Europe are interesting for you?

Basically, all the markets are interesting for us. We do well in Benelux. We could do better in Scandinavia. We also do well in France, in Germany and in Central Europe. But we would like to develop more business in the Mediterranean area, also in Eastern Europe. But what we also like is to address all the continents, all the markets, because our brands are powerful all around the world.

Interview by Heiko Schwarzburger

Do you want to learn more about the solar packages from AEG, Duracell and Electrolux? Then please, look here!

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