The market for C&I applications is picking up after a long slumber. What’s behind the renewed interest?
Kenneth Frey: I think there are several reasons. First of all, energy prices remain high. At the same time, battery systems have become commercially attractive. That opens the door to cost-effective load shifting and peak shaving. We’re also seeing recurring issues with grid reliability, which is prompting more commercial and industrial customers to reduce their electricity costs and secure supply.
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Home storage systems buffer solar power. Commercial storage, on the other hand, solves multiple challenges at once. Which business models are proving particularly attractive at this time?
In Germany especially, commercial storage can effectively cover costly peak loads. That allows businesses in trade and industry to cut electricity costs significantly. Loads can be shifted and production schedules adjusted, resulting in savings across the year. That’s just one application. We’re also seeing commercial storage systems now used for energy trading, which was something previously limited to large-scale systems.
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Dynamic tariffs are now reaching the commercial sector. Is this giving the C&I segment fresh momentum?
It’s definitely the current trend, and it’s happening across Europe, not just in Germany. We’re talking about it with our partners in Italy and the Netherlands. Commercial storage is on everyone’s radar. This is widely recognised.
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This year you presented the new Power-In system for the first time in Munich. What does the DC storage unit with hybrid inverter offer?
It’s a solar-coupled system designed for flexibility. The hybrid inverter comes in models from 30 to 50 kilowatts, and the storage is modular with five kilowatt-hour units. That’s our clear focus. Modularity in five kilowatt-hour steps gives the system great flexibility.
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How far can the Power-In be scaled?
It can be expanded up to 200 kilowatt hours. That’s a sizeable capacity, although such large systems will likely be the exception. Most installations will be smaller. But we offer it to allow for full flexibility.
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Where can the systems be purchased and what is your distribution model?
We have partners in various countries. In Germany, we’ve worked for many years with Krannich Solar. Since the trade fair, we’ve also begun cooperating with electrical wholesalers. Our partnership with Fega & Schmitt has now been made official and our products will be available there going forward.
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This supply channel is particularly important for the electrical trade. But an installer’s job doesn’t end with installation. How important are training and service?
When I ask my technical director, he emphasises that service is absolutely key. For us, there’s no debate. That’s why 60 percent of our staff work in technical roles, and most of these are directly involved in service.
Kenneth Frey took over Sofar Solar’s European operations at the start of the year and has served as President since. He previously spent nearly twelve years at Huawei in Germany, where he held various roles, including contributing to the development of the Luna 2000 storage system. (HS/TF)
