2020 was one of the strongest years for photovoltaics (PV) in Belgium. According to the Belgian PV installers, aspects such as a strong customer demand are currently positively affecting their business. Additionally high volume installers tend to install more large systems than in the previous year. These and further results are published in the 13th edition of the Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021©. The survey sheds light on the rooftop PV segment in Belgium, and provides exclusive insights from the perspective of the PV installers.
Bonn, 31 March 2021
The PV market development over the last few years has been quite promising for Belgium. The year 2019 already confirmed the revival of the photovoltaic market. In 2020, Belgium exceeded 1 GW of newly installed PV systems.
From the perspective of the Belgian installers, different aspects are affecting their business and thereby the development of the PV market in Belgium. The Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021© targets PV installers in the main European PV markets plus Australia. This year, 101 Belgian installation companies participated in the survey.
The surveyed installers state that two aspects specifically have a positive effect on their business. On the one hand, 82 percent of the installers specify that a strong customer demand is affecting their business positively; on the other hand, almost two thirds of the installers assessed that the current component prices also have a positive effect on their business.
Graph: The share of installers, who state that a strong customer demand and current prices have a positive effect on their business.
Additionally, 72 percent and 60 percent of the participants declare that regulatory framework conditions, as well as environment- and climate debates respectively have no effect whatsoever.
Furthermore, an increased interest in commercial and industrial PV systems also plays a role in the promising development of the Belgian PV market.
Over the last years, most of the grid-connected solar systems in the country were residential projects, with capacities no higher than 10 kWp. However, the first large-scale rooftop- as well as ground-mounted plants have already been completed. This development can also be observed in the responses of the surveyed installers.
In 2020, high volume installers (who installed more than 500 kWp) tend to install more large systems in the commercial and industrial sector than in 2019. In addition, in 2019, 13 percent of the high volume installers stated that they installed systems with 250 kWp or higher. In 2020, this share doubled to 26 percent.
The Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021© for Belgium not only examines the current market situation from the installers’ perspective, but also the recurring topics of the report such as which module-, inverter- or storage brands installers carry in their portfolio, how and where they purchase their components, and to which extent they are satisfied with the brands they offer.
Graph: Share of high volume installers who installed PV systems with ≤ 250 kWp in 2019 and 2020.
About the Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021©
The 13th edition of the study conducted by EUPD Research deals with the topics of brand management, market penetration, procurement and satisfaction with respect to modules, inverters, wholesalers and storage systems. EUPD Research surveyed a total of 1,100 PV installers in Australia, Austria & Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Many assessments are displayed on a brand level.
The Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021© offers more than latest market evaluations and expectations of downstream players: Further interesting aspects – with respect to the analysis of module, inverter or storage brands, the distribution behavior and satisfaction levels with brands in installer’s portfolio – are included. In addition, this year’s report features an exclusive chapter on electric mobility and installations of charging stations.
Further information about the report can be found here. In case of questions, please contact Saif Islam, Senior Consultant at EUPD Research, at + 49 228 97143-20 and by email (s.islam(at)eupd-research.com).
