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Solarwatt enters UK market

Germany-based Solarwatt has announced its entry into the UK. Seemingly undeterred by the country’s recent feed-in tariff fallout, the company believes the market is set to grow "enormously".

Solarwatt's headquarters are based in Dresden, Germany. Image: Solarwatt.

The company says it has invested over €1 million in a new automated PV production line, in preparation for its UK debut. A spokesperson for the company tells pv magazine that the almost fully automated line is located in Dresden, Germany, and has a production capacity of 240 megawatts (MW).

Furthermore, Solarwatt has reportedly just signed an agreement with Enexos to establish a distribution and installation network there, initially creating 150 jobs.

In a statement, the company says that it aims to target the entire PV market, including domestic, small scale, commercial and large scale PV installations. It adds that it is already in contract negotiations and will be making some "major" announcements in the coming months.

Director of sales and marketing, Detlef Neuhaus, explains the UK market presented significant and long term opportunities for Solarwatt. He states: "With the introduction of a feed-in tariff (FIT) by the government last April, the PV market in the UK is set to grow enormously in the coming years, as it has in Germany since a FIT was introduced a decade ago."

He continues: "The UK has a very long way to go. In 2009, PV installations totaled six MW, whereas installations in the USA were 500 MW. Both of these pale into insignificance when compared to Germany which has installed 3,800 MW."

To mark the occasion, the company held a reception at the House of Commons yesterday. This was preceded by a seminar at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers for potential distributors and installers.