News: Profile
SEUK review
From 13-15 October, Solar Energy UK 2015 defied expectations as thousands of
visitors descended on Birmingham’s NEC for the show’s sixth annual outing
ith over 200 exhibitors on
the showfloor, installers
and other PV professionals
arrived eager for
information as businesses
attempt to plot a course through the
87 percent Feed-in Tariff reductions
looming on the horizon, but still subject
to consultation at the time of going to
print.
Large visitor numbers appeared to
contradict early fears that the life had
gone out of the PV market, amid high
profile exits from Mark Group, Climate
Energy and Southern Solar.
The show will return next year as
part of Clean Energy Live 2016.
REI spoke to a selection of
exhibitors to gauge feeling from global
suppliers and manufacturers.
W
Daniel Roca, senior business developer, Panasonic:
“Volumes may well go down in the UK, but we want to play the long game. Installers will
need to make adjustments to their sales pitches and we will continue evolving our product
portfolio.
“Obviously some in the audience are a little depressed, but installers are installing lots
at the moment in the rush to beat the deadline. Most visitors here are proactive and looking
for solutions such as storage and what else can be earned.”
Luc Grare, senior VP sales and marketing, REC:
“Last year was a little more busy, which isn’t surprising considering the FiTs announcement.
The UK market could drop by 50 percent, and many people here are concerned.
“We saw exactly the same happen in Germany, and as long as providers are involved in
residential, commercial and large scale utility then they will recover.
“The UK still needs to build 2.5-2.8GW to meet 2020 targets, and we have the Paris
climate change conference around the corner so I cannot see all support for PV ending.”
Peter van Berkel, general manager EMEA, Enphase
“We have a tough period ahead of us in the UK but we as a company are not just here for the
next 12 months.
“Without the FiT, the focus will be on self-consumption, which is exactly where we have
our play as an energy solutions management provider. This is the silver lining of a dark cloud
but doesn’t take away that the market will be smaller next year.
“The characteristics of the new marketplace suit Enphase and the focus on batteries
and storage. But storage is just a component of a wider energy management system and we
believe our solution is what the market is needing.”
In attendance: 3,413 unique
visitors came through the doors,
beating all previous show figures
Popular demand: The Solar
Business Theatre drew the
largest crowds as visitors ask
what’s next for UK solar?
New opportunities: Energy storage applications
featured highly this year with its own section of
the floorplan and dedicated seminar theatre
www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk | 7