• DNE Research sees residential solar PV market in the Netherlands doing well as people at home are buying solar panels
  • As several holidays are now cancelled due to the pandemic, people are opting to make good use of their holiday money
  • Even though businesses see a decrease of up to 31% fewer installations in June, business customers believe people are delaying their investments in rooftop solar but not cancelling

With time at hand and most holidays canceled due to the dreaded pandemic, people in the Netherlands are now exploring their options for solar panels to put up on their rooftops. Dutch New Energy Research (DNE Research) in a white paper sees the residential segment driving the momentum for the country’s solar market as the number of expected installations in May 2020 and June 2020 is only 8% lower than normal.

Installers believe people at home abiding by stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 are trying to improve their homes and buying solar panels will ensure them direct cost savings, according to DNE Research Director Rolf Heynen.

“The sector is driven by a stronger than expected residential sector. The current financial uncertainty means that the business sector still shows a decrease of up to 31% fewer installations in June. On the positive side, business customers tell installers that it is about postponement and not about canceling investments,” Heynen added.

Even manufacturers are seeing some signs of life as 38% of all manufacturers operating in the country are hoping they can deliver even more than before, compared to 78% of them 2 months back believing they would deliver less due to the pandemic.

DNE Research claims the market is moving ahead fine as delivery problems are almost solved and installers have higher expectations for the market going forward.

In a previous whitepaper dated April 15, 2020 DNE Research said 85% of all solar EPC companies out of 101 companies it surveyed, feared their delivery of solar projects could be endangered due to COVID-19 triggered material shortages and reduced staff availability and wanted the deadline for SDE+ to be extended by an year. Back then, 6 out of 7 installers saw their work drop due to delivery demands and not because of reduced demand.

“Even during this crisis, the purchase of solar panels remains financially interesting,” pointed out Heynen. “On top of the roofs, installers have no physical contact with their customers. Even in the one-and-a-half meter society, the energy transition can continue as usual.”

The Netherlands, which was the third largest market in Europe last year, is to a large extent relying on Chinese supply of solar panels. At least 60% of residential installers were reported by DNE Research to have stocked up panels but were unable to replenish them in April 2020.