The price of photovoltaic panels solars
The price of solar panels has jumped in recent weeks. In question: the increase in the cost of raw materials, electronic components and transport.
In photovoltaics, the habit is to lower prices. In 12 years, the price of an average installation has been divided by three, if not more. But in recent weeks, the price of photovoltaics has risen sharply.
With political change in the United States and the vertical correction of environment goals in a few nations, request is solid from one side of the planet to the other, underlines Benoît Fosseprez, overseer of Green Energy 4 Seasons. Likewise, the size of ventures is progressively significant: sun oriented fields are in any event, beginning to show up in Wallonia. Subsequently, the costs of provisions took off 15-20%.
Lampiris subtlety to some degree. "On the actual boards, the expansion that we see dates from the most recent couple of weeks and is around 10%. The inverters will pursue a similar direction. Then again, on copper, aluminum or treated steel parts , the cost of which started to climb a while back, the increment surpasses 30% ", subtleties Martin Jasienski, Managing Director of WinWatt, the Lampiris auxiliary gaining practical experience in the establishment of sun powered chargers.
The cost of raw materials
Several factors explain this skyrocketing prices. First, the rise in raw materials and the slowness of certain factories to restart after the crisis. "The cost price of a solar panel depends largely on the metal used for the frame, but also on the glass and silicon handled. These three raw materials are more and more expensive. So much so that in October, the prices should be 15 to 20% higher than at the start of the year ", notes Steven Leeten of Rexel Belgium, which distributes these installations.
Then, the rise in the price of electronic components. Finally, that of transport. "At the end of 2019, we were paying 2,500 euros to transport a container to Belgium. Today, we have to pay between 11,000 and 12,000 euros for the same service," continues Steven Leeten.
And Europe is completely dependent on Asian producers. At the end of 2018, the European Union in fact abolished import taxes on Chinese solar panels, so that today, European production is almost non-existent.
Still limited impact for customers
Some installers have already started to pass on, at least in part, this increase to their private customers. "Our offers are generally valid for 14 days, explains an employee of the Flemish company Dirickx. A customer recently came back to us 15 days after sending the quote. The latter had suddenly swelled by 1,200 euros. It's difficult to explain to the customer. But on new offers, I can't sell at a loss either. "
Other installers have not yet adjusted their prices. "The price increase has not yet been reflected in the quotes that we have made and these offers remain valid", indicates Olivier Desclée, spokesperson for Electrabel. "Our price lists have not changed since the beginning of the year. We have a fairly large stock, and we still have capacity for July and part of August on the basis of the old prices", adds Martin. Jasienski.
But even with rising prices, photovoltaic installations will remain profitable, our interlocutors insist. "Taking into account the prosumer tax, an installation always pays for itself in 5 or 6 years in Wallonia. And the increase in the price of installations will be offset by that of electricity", argues Benoît Fosseprez.