May 11, 2010, 4:17 AM EDT
By Jeremy van Loon
May 11 -- The German market for solar-panel installations, the world’s largest in 2009, may slow its growth in the coming years as other countries catch up, Phoenix Solar AG Chief Executive Officer Andreas Haenel said.
Germany, with about 8,000 megawatts of panels producing power, probably will “level off” at an annual rate for new installations of about 5,000 megawatts over the next few years, Haenel said in an interview. Other markets that will increase demand or achieve 1,000 megawatts in operation in the coming years include France, Italy, Japan, China and the U.S., he said.
Even at the reduced growth rate, Germany’s expansion will result in a capacity to provide as much as 10 percent of total national electricity demand by 2020, said Haenel.
“In Germany we have reached a very high level,” Haenel said. “When you do this continually you increase electricity generation every two years by 1 percent. That’s a significant change to the electricity system.”
Phoenix Solar, a Sulzemoos, Germany-based company that sells and builds solar plants, today reported net income of 2.8 million euros ($3.6 million) in the first quarter from a year- earlier loss and forecast “improved” profit for the full-year.
German federal lawmakers last week passed a law that reduces consumer-paid subsidies for producers of solar power earned by operators including Phoenix Solar. Germany accounted for about half of global sales of panels last year, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-11/german-solar-panel-market-growth-may-slow-phoenix-chief-says.html
By Jeremy van Loon
May 11 -- The German market for solar-panel installations, the world’s largest in 2009, may slow its growth in the coming years as other countries catch up, Phoenix Solar AG Chief Executive Officer Andreas Haenel said.
Germany, with about 8,000 megawatts of panels producing power, probably will “level off” at an annual rate for new installations of about 5,000 megawatts over the next few years, Haenel said in an interview. Other markets that will increase demand or achieve 1,000 megawatts in operation in the coming years include France, Italy, Japan, China and the U.S., he said.
Even at the reduced growth rate, Germany’s expansion will result in a capacity to provide as much as 10 percent of total national electricity demand by 2020, said Haenel.
“In Germany we have reached a very high level,” Haenel said. “When you do this continually you increase electricity generation every two years by 1 percent. That’s a significant change to the electricity system.”
Phoenix Solar, a Sulzemoos, Germany-based company that sells and builds solar plants, today reported net income of 2.8 million euros ($3.6 million) in the first quarter from a year- earlier loss and forecast “improved” profit for the full-year.
German federal lawmakers last week passed a law that reduces consumer-paid subsidies for producers of solar power earned by operators including Phoenix Solar. Germany accounted for about half of global sales of panels last year, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-11/german-solar-panel-market-growth-may-slow-phoenix-chief-says.html
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