Imagine the energy Gehrlicher Solar

IMAGINE THE ENERGY

Gehrlicher Solar AG plans, builds, finances, and operates photovoltaic systems. Abigail Saltmarsh looks at the company, which is seeing international growth for its photovoltaics business.

AT Gehrlicher Solar AG, internationalisation is one of the cornerstones for the future in photovoltaics. The company, which was founded in 1994, has seen steady international growth in recent years, as it has spread its operation beyond Germany to set up subsidiaries and joint ventures in Brazil, France, the UK, India, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Turkey and the USA.

“Gehrlicher Solar employs around 250 people worldwide and generated a total of €323 million in sales in fiscal year 2011,” explains senior global marketing manager Ms Seifried. “In fact, in the last few years we have been expanding and still are expanding in other countries and markets worldwide. So internationalisation is one of the keywords. But in the future, PV has to become competitive without feed-in tariffs worldwide.”

Internally developed innovative systems

The company, which was founded in 1994 remains a family business, develops, plans, builds, finances and operates solar power systems. It is still managed by its founder, Klaus Gehrlicher, who is widely considered one of the pioneers of the German photovoltaic industry.

In 1998, he initiated Solarpark 2000, the first Community Equity Solar Fund, and, as CEO, he takes responsibility for all developments of the company.

Today, Gehrlicher Solar’s products include everything from photovoltaic systems suitable for private homes up to multi-megawatt systems that can be mounted on the ground or on roofs. Alongside traditional systems for roof-top and ground-mounted systems, the

GehrTec® range also includes solutions that can be integrated into the roofs or facades of buildings.

The company also offers an efficient pre-assembled cable system for photovoltaic systems and its in-house research and development department ensures the creation of new and innovative system components on an ongoing basis. “Gehrlicher Solar AG distributes solar modules and inverters as well as components from its own GehrTec® product range,” says Ms Seifried. “It also plans, sets up and manages profit-oriented photovoltaic funds and private placement systems for private and institutional investors Moreover, Gehrlicher Solar is responsible for the operations and maintenance of more than 350MW and thus secures longterm values and return on investments.”

New project in Spain without any kind of subsidies

Gehrlicher Solar AG, whose client base ranges from end customers, farmers, business customers to solar power funds and different types of private and institutional investors, has 13 branch offices. These are in Germany, Spain, Italy, England, France, the Czech Republic, Romania and the USA as well as joint ventures in India, South Africa, Brazil and Turkey.

“The administrative centre of our company is located in Dornach, near Munich,” she explains. “The company’s registered office is in Neustadt, near Coburg.”

It was in March 2012 that Gehrlicher Solar España signed an agreement with the government of Extremadura for the construction of a 250 MW solar PV plant, in the municipality of Talavan, Cáceres. Since all the energy produced will compete in the electricity market on an equal footing to conventional energies, this project marks a historic breakthrough in the field of photovoltaic energy. It also offers a considerable potential for the PV market.

Optimistic about competition

Gehrlicher Solar has been working for over a year and a half to realise the project and hopes to start its construction at the beginning of 2014. The plant will cover an extent of 750 hectares and will involve an investment

estimated at €250 million and the creation of more than 2000 jobs. The generation of electricity is estimated at 400,000 MWH per year and will allow the plant to supply clean energy to 100,000 households and present a saving of about 356,000 tones of CO2 .

Guillermo Barea, CEO of Gehrlicher Solar España, says: “I want to convey to the entire PV industry, not only in Spain but also in Europe, a message of optimism and that the sector can be competitive in the electricity market without subsidies. The government support of Extremadura, our strategic capacity and the effort of my team are pushing this project to be viable in economic, technical and environmental terms.

“We must join forces to place our country in a leading position again in the global PV industry.” Remaining focused

Both Mr Barea and Ms Seifried agree that megaprojects along with self consumption are the future of the photovoltaics business and also the two main business segments on which Gehrlicher Solar remains focused.

The company will continue to execute numerous projects around the globe and in doing so will take into account special regional characteristics of each location, allowing it to develop flexible solutions that meet specific requirements optimally.

Ms Seifried adds: “The most important factors for success in the PV business are to reach grid parity and to focus on electricity storage and grid integration. After all, the above mentioned factors have to be considered after the cost cutting factors in order to be profitable.” n