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Solar Energy

quality of service pays off in a difficult market

January 16, 2025 ryansheehanrts

How did you get into photovoltaics?

By a roundabout route. I studied mechanical engineering in Poland and obtained an engineering degree there. I then studied business administration in Germany and graduated with a business degree. After managing business with Poland for a German commercial vehicle manufacturer for years, I decided to switch to the photovoltaics industry in 2011.

Also interesting: Poland’s PV Market: Opportunities and Trends 2025

What motivated you to change?

A mixture of desire to build something new and enthusiasm for the technology. I was especially excited about photovoltaics because of its possibility to generate clean electricity for decades with comparatively small investments.

How would you describe your role in the Polish PV industry?

I come from the sales of commercial vehicles. These are technical products that require explanation. I have taken my experience into the PV industry and describe my first years in the industry as ambassador work for German photovoltaic technology in Poland where I succeeded in establishing partnerships for German companies in Poland. Some of the companies I worked for have received awards for their solutions and technologies in Poland.

Also interesting: Sunny prospects: Poland’s photovoltaics in numbers

If you could enter the industry again, would you do everything the same?

In 2011, the PV industry in Poland was just beginning. I am a B2B salesperson and have continued this work in the PV industry. If I could turn back time, I would personally invest in the production of PV components with German quality standards in Poland.

How can you best describe your current tasks in the market?

While I previously worked practically only for German companies in the Polish market, my job today is communication in both directions: selling products and services from Polish companies to the European market and products from European companies to the Polish PV market.

What products and services do you offer?

Our focus is on complete PV solutions, from small roof systems to system providers for large PV projects, roof systems and open space systems for customers in Poland and German-speaking Europe, i.e. Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Also interesting: Investor newsletter: Poland takes the lead in pushing the Eastern markets

2023 seems to have been a difficult year for many Polish wholesalers. Was it also for your company?

A clear no. Our warehouse, marketing and logistics is based in Poland. Our German branch is located near Munich. From there we primarily serve customers in the DACH region and other Western European countries. Throughout Europe we deliver within 24 hours if the components are in stock. Our team is lean and all employees have experience in the photovoltaics industry. We work with flat hierarchies, which makes us fast and flexible. We think from the customer’s perspective and talk to the customer. The market seems to appreciate that.

How does the Polish PV market differ from other markets?

In my experience, price plays a bigger role in Poland than in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. We can offer reasonable prices, but as a young company we have to convince in all areas: fast and reliable delivery, good advice, attractive prices and flexibility when the customer is asking for changes in the order.

Also interesting: Ramon Li of Growatt: “Good prospects in a sustainably booming market”

What developments do you see in the Polish PV industry for the next 6 months to 2 years?

The PV industry in Poland has developed into a stable market in recent years. Following the change of government, the PV industry will now receive billions in EU funds. This is one of many subsidies that Poland is expected to receive. This will lead to a further increase in PV installations in the country. Due to the outdated Polish power grid and its time-consuming upgrading, electricity storage will be an increasingly interesting investment in the next 12 to 24 months.

The interview was conducted by Manfred Gorgus

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Solar Energy

September 2024 pv.index – Demand rebounds as prices continue to decline

October 3, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The PV PMI (PV Purchasing Managers’ Index), purchasing intentions from buyers across the sun.store platform, continues to provide a valuable lens into the industry’s direction. sun.store, Europe’s largest solar marketplace, is central to these market insights, with over 16,500 registered users and more than 7 GW of equipment available from a diverse range of suppliers. This month’s index reveals increasing buyer confidence as 54% of respondents plan to boost their purchasing in October, a significant rise from 49% in September.

PV PMI: Buyer confidence bounces back

September marked a welcome resurgence in market optimism, with the PV PMI climbing to 71. This jump highlights the renewed confidence buyers have in the solar market, with over half of respondents signaling plans to increase their purchases in the coming month. Meanwhile, the percentage of buyers intending to reduce their orders fell slightly to 11%, indicating that overall sentiment is stabilizing after the summer lull. While 36% of respondents plan to maintain current purchasing levels, this strong PMI reading suggests growing momentum as the market heads into the final quarter of the year.

pv.index – Price trends: further declines across the board:

Despite the increase in demand, solar component prices continued to decline in September. This price reduction can largely be attributed to excess supply, which continues to pressure the market.

Monofacial modules:

N-type: modules saw a further 1% reduction, with average prices dropping from €0.106/Wp in August to €0.105/Wp in September.

P-type: modules experienced a steeper decline of 9%, falling from €0.100/Wp in August to €0.091/Wp.

Bifacial modules:

N-type: modules experienced a steeper decline of 9%, falling from €0.100/Wp in August to €0.091/Wp.

P-type: too small sample to calculate the trend.

Full black modules:

Remained steady this month, holding at €0.109/Wp, after dropping significantly in previous months.

This steady reduction in prices is reflective of an oversupplied market, with many manufacturers continuing to offload stock at competitive prices. The PV index consistently highlights these trends, offering detailed visibility into transactional pricing across sun.store’s vast European network.

Jinko Solar continues to dominate

For yet another month, Jinko Solar was the most popular brand among buyers on sun.store. This reflects Jinko’s consistent ability to provide high-quality, competitively priced products, even in a volatile market. As competition tightens among suppliers, Jinko’s dominance underscores the importance of reliable, well-regarded manufacturers in maintaining market confidence.

Victor Cantareli, International Business Development Manager at sun.store, offered his insights into the current dynamics: Having exposure to several markets—from the UK & Ireland to the Nordics and Portugal—I’ve observed first-hand a resurgence in both equipment purchases and installations over the past month. Market dynamics do vary significantly between countries, but the overall outlook remains positive as we head into the final quarter of the year, with more projects and contracts being signed. Despite the noticeable slowdown in August, as highlighted in our previous report, some of my key accounts achieved record project sales, with procurement activities already picking up pace for Q4 2024.

As the PV industry moves into the final quarter of 2024, the rebound in demand and the ongoing price declines are setting the stage for what could be an interesting conclusion to the year. With new projects in the pipeline and growing interest in solar solutions, all eyes are on the market’s next moves. sun.store, with its extensive network and insights, remains a key player in navigating these changes.

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, the biggest online PV trading platform with 7 GW+ of components on offer. 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 500+ sun.store buyers. (mfo)

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Solar Energy

August 2024 pv.index – Stable demand amidst continuing price declines

September 7, 2024 ryansheehanrts

The PV PMI (PV Purchasing Managers’ Index), which tracks overall demand trends in the industry, provides valuable insights into the market’s direction based on input from sun.store buyers. As the largest solar marketplace in Europe, sun.store plays a central role in this landscape, boasting more than 15,000 registered users and over 6 GW of equipment available from a multitude of brands.

In August, the PV PMI remained stable at 68, the same as in July, indicating that market confidence has remained consistent throughout the summer. This steady reading suggests that while some market participants are maintaining a cautious approach, the overall sentiment remains positive, with a significant proportion of buyers continuing to plan for stable or increased purchasing activities.

sun.store

The PV Purchase Manager`s Index of online trading platform sun.store was pretty steady in August 2024,

While the percentage of respondents intending to increase their purchases saw a slight dip from July’s 50% to 49%, the proportion of those planning to maintain their current purchasing levels rose to 39%, up from 37%. This shift suggests a cautious yet positive sentiment among buyers, who are likely adopting a wait-and-see approach in anticipation of potential regulatory changes and further market developments in the fall. The number of those expecting to decrease their orders remained low at 12%, underscoring the underlying stability and confidence within the industry.

pv.index – PV panel price trends – continuing downward trajectory

August brought significant changes in the pricing of PV panels across all categories. Notably, the prices for both monofacial and bifacial panels continued to decline, reflecting ongoing oversupply issues and competitive pressures in the European market.

Monofacial modules:

N-type: Experienced a 6% reduction in the average price, dropping from €0.113/Wp in July to €0.106/Wp in August.

P-type: Saw a more substantial decline of 12% in the average price, with prices falling from €0.114/Wp to €0.100/Wp.

Bifacial modules:

N-type: Marginally decreased by 1% in the average price, from €0.121/Wp to €0.120/Wp.

P-type: too small sample to calculate the trend.

Full black modules:

This category saw a 6% decrease in the average price, moving from €0.116/Wp in July to €0.109/Wp in August.

Jinko Solar remains the top spot

Jinko Solar has once again emerged as the most popular brand on the sun.store platform, which highlights the brand’s strong presence and continued trust among PV buyers.

Krzysztof Rejek, Head of Business Development at sun.store, shared his perspective on the current market dynamics: „The ongoing pricing challenges, driven by the overstock of older modules and the overcapacity of new ones, remain a significant factor in the market. Although we’ve seen decreased shipping volumes, this has not yet translated into lower price levels for higher-performance modules. We anticipate that the effects of these reduced volumes will become more evident in the coming months. Meanwhile, lower-performance modules continue to experience a decline in value, with further sell-offs likely as suppliers seek to clear excess inventory.“

Also see: Merciless battle for prices and market share

August 2024 has proven to be a month of steady demand with continued price adjustments. Persistent oversupply and overcapacity have driven prices down, particularly in lower-performance segments. While the impact of reduced shipping volumes on high-performance modules is still unfolding, the market remains resilient. sun.store continues to support the industry by providing access to essential solar components and insights to navigate these challenges.

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, the biggest online PV trading platform with 6 GW+ of components on offer. Trading prices are weighted by the power of components involved in the transactions to arrive at a reliable estimate for the whole market.

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