Isra-Mart srl:German giant IBC Solar targets booming UK rooftop market

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One of Germany's leading solar installation firms has set its sights on the UK market with the opening of a new office in Oxford and the unveiling of rapid expansion plans that could see the company employ around 100 installers by the end of the year.

Bavaria-based IBC Solar currently employs around 400 staff worldwide and has emerged as one of the leading players in Germany's booming solar energy market, installing around 1.3GW of solar panels globally with installations ranging from large solar farms to small scale rooftop solar panels.

However, with recent reports suggesting the German government could cut solar incentives available through its feed-in tariff further still the company is targeting new markets, including the UK, to drive future expansion.

Speaking to BusinessGreen, Norbert Hahn, a member of the executive board at IBC Solar, said the company expected the market growth experienced in Germany in recent years will stop this year.

"Rumours say the government is going to cut feed-in tariffs by another 15 per cent and as a result we expect future growth to come from other countries, including the UK," he explained.

Andreas Heinrichs, who will head up the company's new Oxford office, said the company expected the UK's installed solar capacity to double this year and then double again in 2012 to around 200MW as the government's feed-in tariff scheme continues to drive demand.

He added that the company was expecting significant demand and would aim to employ up to 100 solar installers by the end of the year, while also investing in a new UK distribution facility.

The announcement of the new UK office came on the same day as the government launched a comprehensive review into its feed-in tariff incentives.

But Heinrichs expressed confidence that the focus of the review on large scale solar farms meant the market for rooftop solar installations would not be affected by the move.

"The message from the government that it is focusing on supporting rooftop solar installations has been clear for several months," he said, adding that the company was intending to focus on small scale installations that are unlikely to be affected by the review.

IBC Solar will face an increasingly competitive UK market as it attempts to take on market leader Solarcentury and a host of regional solar installation firms.

However, Heinrichs expressed confidence that the company's economies of scale and experience in the German market will allow it to complete and achieve its target of securing five to 10 per cent market share within the next few years.