From pv journal in France
SolarPower Europe says that the variety of battery vitality storage programs (BESS) in residential buildings throughout Europe will soar from 650,000 installations in 2021 to greater than 1 million in 2022. This can be a sharp improve, which largely pushed by the soar in vitality costs because the begin of the struggle in Ukraine. And the variety of households with batteries mixed with photo voltaic installations in Europe is anticipated to triple to three.5 million by 2026, in response to the photo voltaic commerce group.
The expansion of the market is pushed by 5 international locations – Germany, Italy, Austria, the UK, and Switzerland – however France remains to be lagging behind.
“In comparison with different international locations the place we’re current, France stays a distinct segment market,” mentioned Lars Brinkmeyer, worldwide gross sales supervisor for German battery producer Kostal, in an interview with pv journal in France.
French market analysis firm LCP Delta reviews that roughly 566,000 properties in France may have PV programs by the tip of 2022, with a capability of round 2 GW. Amongst these programs, just one,000 are geared up with house storage batteries, with a median capability of 4 kW. As compared, Germany is putting in 220,000 new residential batteries by 2022, with a complete capability of 1.2 GW/1.9 GWh, in response to knowledge from the College of Aachen.
“In France, electrical energy costs, that are round €0.20/kWh, stay decrease than the degrees noticed in different European international locations,” mentioned Arthur Jouannic, French director for LCP Delta, pv journal in France. “As well as, the federal government has restricted the rise in regulated electrical energy costs in 2022 to 4%, limiting the impression of the vitality disaster for people.”
As well as, the present costs of “solar-plus-battery” programs needs to be correlated with the dearth of incentives. Enterprise-to-consumer installers are quoting costs reaching as much as €30,000 ($32,570) for a 6 kW PV system with battery.
“As the worth of electrical energy stays low, the return on funding of such a purchase order is eight, 10, even 12 years,” mentioned Jouannic. “Additionally, rates of interest are excessive, which makes renting unattractive.”
It seems that these excessive costs don’t embody affordable purchases. Solely the wealthiest households that need to take part within the vitality transition are more likely to equip themselves.
Nonetheless, Kostal has observed a shift available in the market in latest months.
“This winter, when the French authorities mentioned attainable energy cuts, we noticed a rise in client curiosity in any such system,” mentioned Brinkmeyer.
Kostal plans to additionally launch a brand new technology of residential inverters on the finish of this yr, with capacities from 3 kW to twenty kW. It’s scalable and configurable, with or with out batteries.
“Due to this fact, if demand in France will increase, installers can simply add storage batteries to current photovoltaic installations,” added Brinkmeyer.
Enphase launched its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery storage resolution to the French market in April. With the anticipated improve in electrical energy costs, the US group goals to enhance financial savings options for installers and people.
“In France, solely 5 out of 100 photovoltaic installations have batteries,” mentioned Maâty Bouanane, the gross sales supervisor of Enphase in France, throughout an interview with pv journal in France in March, noting that in Germany, this price is 80%. “So the French market is in its infancy, however it’s the proper time to permit installers to familiarize themselves with these applied sciences, that are easy to implement.”
Installers should endure certification coaching offered by Enphase to qualify for battery set up.
In distinction, the marketplace for residential warmth pumps in France is experiencing vital progress. In 2022, roughly 550,000 warmth pumps have been offered, together with 346,700 air/water warmth pumps. This improve will be attributed to the implementation of the RE2020 directive on January 1, 2022, which mandates that whole vitality consumption (together with heating, home scorching water, electrical energy for lighting and home equipment) stay beneath 100 kWh/m² per yr.
“The warmth pump market is ripe in France, the very extensive supply of distributors and authorities incentives, by means of direct assist and tax credit, encourage people to equip themselves,” mentioned Jouannic .
LCP Delta expects greater than 1 million warmth pump installations per yr.
“Builders appear to desire photovoltaic photo voltaic warmth pumps for brand new constructions, as a result of the carbon depth of electrical energy in France just isn’t excessive,” mentioned LCP Delta. “Nonetheless, within the second step we count on the marketplace for warmth pumps in personal homes to be a progress vector for photovoltaics on the roof, as a result of this coupling is a logical continuation.”
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