From pv journal in France
SolarPower Europe says that the variety of battery vitality storage techniques (BESS) in residential buildings throughout Europe jumps from 650,000 installations in 2021 to greater than 1 million in 2022. This can be a sharp enhance, which largely pushed by the leap in vitality costs because the begin of the battle 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 nations – Germany, Italy, Austria, the UK, and Switzerland – however France remains to be lagging behind.
“In comparison with different nations 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 studies that roughly 566,000 houses in France can have PV techniques by the tip of 2022, with a capability of round 2 GW. Amongst these techniques, only one,000 are geared up with dwelling storage batteries, with a median capability of 4 kW. 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 information 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 nations,” 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 affect of the vitality disaster for people.”
As well as, the present costs of “solar-plus-battery” techniques 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 value 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 cheap purchases. Solely the wealthiest households that wish to take part within the vitality transition are more likely to equip themselves.
Nevertheless, Kostal has seen a shift available in the market in current months.
“This winter, when the French authorities mentioned potential energy cuts, we noticed a rise in shopper curiosity in such a system,” mentioned Brinkmeyer.
Kostal plans to additionally launch a brand new technology of residential inverters on the finish of this 12 months, with capacities from 3 kW to twenty kW. It’s scalable and configurable, with or with out batteries.
“Subsequently, if demand in France will increase, installers can simply add storage batteries to present photovoltaic installations,” added Brinkmeyer.
Enphase launched its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery storage resolution to the French market in April. With the anticipated enhance 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 charge 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 supplied by Enphase to qualify for battery set up.
In distinction, the marketplace for residential warmth pumps in France is experiencing important development. In 2022, roughly 550,000 warmth pumps have been bought, together with 346,700 air/water warmth pumps. This enhance will be attributed to the implementation of the RE2020 directive on January 1, 2022, which mandates that the overall main vitality consumption (together with heating, home scorching water, electrical energy for lighting and home equipment) will stay lower than 100 kWh/m² per 12 months.
“The warmth pump market is ripe in France, the very extensive supply of distributors and authorities incentives, via direct assist and tax credit, encourage people to equip themselves,” mentioned Jouannic .
LCP Delta expects greater than 1 million warmth pump installations per 12 months.
“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. “Nevertheless, within the second step we count on the marketplace for warmth pumps in personal homes to be a development vector for photovoltaics on the roof, as a result of this coupling is a logical continuation.”
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