EnergySage says that in 2017, 74% of customers shopping for solar on their online solar marketplace were considering energy storage. The company’s Solar Marketplace Intel Report also offers evidence that customers will pay the extra costs for storage – as residential solar panel purchases have moved upmarket toward SunPower, LG, Panasonic and other premium brands. When extrapolated – these interests represent a 1-2TWh, or larger, market opportunity.
The report published a new metric, Badges – “an additional layer of information that educate shoppers about the various attributes of one quote versus another.” High quality equipment stood out by far, and only one of the top seven items – lowest $/W – suggested shoppers were focused on bargains.
The report also showed that system prices continued fall on a price per watt basis. However, total system size increased – which actually meant a net increase in total system cost (8kW at $3.36/W at the end 2016, versus 8.7kW at $3.13 at end of 2017).
Installers in Florida, Arizona and Maryland brought average costs below $3.00/W on the EnergySage marketplace, and there were some counties where average costs fell as low as $2.00/W.
That overall prices are falling while equipment from premium players like LG and Panasonic are making inroads in the solar panel market is likely a testament to the ability of those two companies to deliver higher efficiencies at respectable prices.
Another chart shows that SolarEdge has become the dominant brand in residential installations. That the size and complexity – think multiple surfaces, at multiple angles facing multiple directions – of installations has increased may be directly due to module-level electronics from SolarEdge and Enphase.
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