Conergy expects quadrupled annual turnover in Italy to 40 Million Euros
Europe’s highest-volume solar enterprise intends to become Italy’s market leader
5 September 2007
Source. Conergy.com press release
http://www.conergy.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-182/271_read-8128/
The Conergy AG, a listed firm, intends to quadruple its annual turnover in Italy in 2007 to at least 40 million euros. In order to further increase its market share in one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, the number of persons employed in Italy is to be increased to more than 200 on a mid-term basis. Globally, Conergy is looking to increase sales by 60 percent to 1.25 billion euros, and already employs some 2,500 persons in 26 countries, in order to grow much more rapidly than the market for renewable energy systems as a whole, which has a growth rate of about 25 percent.
“The demand for solar systems is increasing significantly throughout Italy due to the incentive programme, which was again improved in February. Our customers are benefiting from our worldwide, tried and tested solar system know-how and our customer service and logistics, which have been running smoothly since 2005. In order to reinforce our service network and proximity to customers nationally, we intend to increase the number of employees significantly and to open additional regional sales offices,” according to Giuseppe Sofia, Managing Director of Conergy Italia, at a press conference in Milan. With its many-sided solar product lines for electricity, heating or cooling from sunlight, Conergy’s involvement in Italy means entering a market which has enormous potential for growth, and not just because of its geographic and climatic advantages.
Conergy projects solar boom in Italy
The Italian government made further improvements to its electricity feed-in law (“conto energia”), which was modelled on Germany’s Renewable Energies Act, in February and thus triggered a surge in demand. It guarantees fixed purchase prices for electricity from renewable energies. Operators of systems will be paid up to 49 cents per kilowatt-hour for their solar electricity produced in an environmentally friendly manner, for a period of 20 years. Solar systems in Italy therefore will already pay for themselves in about 8 to 12 years, and promise their operators attractive earnings over the entire period of operation. Conergy expects Italy to become one of the most important solar growth markets in Europe.
Expansion of national service network creates proximity to customers and jobs
Conergy Italia will also increase its number of employees in the next few years to more than 200 – and thus expand its Italian headquarters in Vicenza as well as the coverage of its sales network to ensure customer proximity. The Conergy Group will present its newest products, projects and services from 3rd to 7th September at the European solar energy conference “PV Sec” in Milan.
Conergy anticipates ten-fold increase in demand for solar energy in Mediterranean region
Conergy expects that solar demand around the western European Mediterranean will increase more than tenfold in the next few years. A study by the EPIA (European Photovoltaic Industry Association), for example, assumes an increase in newly-installed solar power capacity in Italy from some 35 megawatts in 2007 to 400 megawatts in 2010. Constantly increasing oil and gas prices stand counterposed to enormous potential for reducing the costs for the components of solar systems while also increasing mass production.
Currently, attractive incentive programmes in some 50 countries are creating the necessary demand for this, and preparing the way for solar systems which can deliver power to the public grid at competitive prices during the coming decade. This development is being encouraged by the fact that they produce power at periods of peak load. That is, when the sun shines, there is increased demand for electrical power, which is thus in shorter supply and more expensive.This is a development which, as in Germany, can now lead to far more than one-hundred thousand jobs with a perspective for the future in Italy as well.
Solar thermal products in Italy: up to 55% of system costs tax-deductible
Not only photovoltaics, solar thermal products are also receiving excellent support in Italy. The Italian government thus passed a new law in 2007 offering good incentives to private individuals, home-owners and companies in this regard. Anyone who decides on solar thermal systems for heating drinking water or to provide backup heating not only can drastically reduce their energy costs, but also deduct up to 55 percent of installation and initial costs for the system from taxes over a period of three years.
It is, however, important that the future operator of a system chooses the right product at the very start, as the incentives are only accorded to systems whose manufacturers provide a five-year guarantee on their collectors and boilers certified according to UNI 12975, as well as provide a two-year guarantee for the incorporated electrical and electronic components. Furthermore, the system must be installed according to regulations. – The Conergy solar thermal systems fulfil all these conditions, and more. With its worldwide network of experienced installation partners, Conergy is ensuring in Italy as well that the systems are competently installed by professionals. – So that Italian customers not only pay less tax, but can also be sure that their long-term heating costs will be reduced.