Article
Rotterdam, 20 March 2007
Purchase modules directly from manufacturers
SolarPlaza offers a personal service, shortcutting the solar energy supply chain.
How
can you find the best and cheapest solar modules in a growing industry
which already has more than 250 manufacturers? How do you purchase
larger quantities of modules directly from a Chinese manufacturer?
The
independent global marketplace SolarPlaza.com launched a new personal
matchmaking service for solar businesses. This service helps business
customers to find the most competitive solar module offers and assists
them in ordering directly from the manufacturer. This short cut in the
supply chain avoids unnecessary cost. To bridge the gap in language and
culture, the company has experienced representatives in China and
Spain. The local people and Western management based in China have an
extensive network of personnel in contact with all the major module
manufacturers. They know the culture, speak the Chinese language and
have the contacts to arrange the best deals. The Chinese solar industry
is growing rapidly and already has some of the world’s major PV
manufacturers. As in other business sectors, it is likely to play a
dominant role in the future production and global sales of solar
modules. The new service will be specifically of interest to larger
end-users such as PV project developers, installers and system
integrators in the world’s promising markets such as Spain, Italy, the
USA and Greece. The local Spanish representative of SolarPlaza will
make it convenient for Spanish companies to arrange attractive direct
deals with Chinese manufacturers.
What makes the service even more attractive is that it is both a
personal and a no-risk solution. Only in the event that an interesting
offer can be presented and a deal can be closed will a small fee be
charged. “In this way we will do all the upfront work, such as market
research, arranging the contacts and offers” says Edwin Koot, director
of SolarPlaza. “With our global marketplace and network of more than
16,000 contacts in the solar industry, we will know where to get the
most competitive business deals”. |
Fourteen years of experience in the solar energy market and a
strong personal network will help as well. “The good thing is we help
both sides of the market. This service will also help module
manufacturers to sell their products on the international market
through a lead-generating global sales platform” says Koot. “The
manufacturers will get in touch with interesting business customers in
new, emerging PV markets without the need to set up a costly
distribution network.” As a real internet entrepreneur, he sees only
advantages: “Our marketplace, trading platform and match-making service
combines the global approach of the internet, leading to a better
overview and market transparency. It helps the industry and the
customers.” In order to make the service competitive and attractive for
all stakeholders, minimum order quantities will be 1 container or some
100 kWp in size.
Take for example Spain, where more and more
companies are developing larger Huertas Solares projects. Most of these
developers have no long history in the solar energy market. The service
will make it possible to find and purchase large amounts of modules
directly from the reliable manufacturers. This is not only attractive
with respect to liability aspects, but will save you lots of money.
“Nowadays we are able to arrange module offers by reputable Chinese
manufacturers for less then € 2.69/Wp. Compare this to market prices of
€ 3.15/Wp and you can calculate that you can keep 460,000 euro in your
pocket with a 1 Megawatt solar park project”. Koot believes that solar
modules are becoming a commodity product. “The added value will be more
in the type and quality of the cells used.
There is really no argument against buying solar modules from
China. The products are certified and the quality is good. We have
visited the factories several times and we have people who have worked
in China for more than 10 years and who visit all the major
manufacturers on a regular basis. What most people do not know is that
a major proportion of all modules comes from China already anyway.
Either under their own brand, or with the label of the Western
manufacturer”. |
How else would (new) PV project developers find their way in the
jungle of the world’s 250 module manufacturers, producing more than
1000 different modules? China alone is home to some 50 different
manufacturers, all with dazzling ambitions. It is not hard to imagine
that one can only keep an overview with experienced people that have a
local and global network within this industry. “The advantage of the
internet is that all this knowledge and information can easily be made
available to a global audience, making the market more transparent. The
famous New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman has already pointed
out in his book ‘The World is Flat’ that in future only language will
form a barrier to global business. “That is why we have people working
with us who speak Chinese and Spanish”.
More information about the personal matchmaking service: www.solarplaza.com or contact [email protected] .