Do you know what are the main problems reported by consumers who use photovoltaic systems? To answer this question, Greener spoke to 260 consumers in the commercial consumption class, who purchased their solar plants from 2017 onwards.
Of the total respondents, 88% are satisfied with their systems and 16% reported that they had some problems with the installation and/or equipment, according to the Strategic Study: Distributed Generation Photovoltaic Market 2nd Semester of 2020.
Reasons for dissatisfaction include lower generation than calculated/promised, roof infiltration and inverter malfunction. Other problems were also highlighted, such as tiles breaking during installation; problem with circuit breaker, cabling and connectors; poorly positioned modules; modules ripped from the roof by storm; measurement problems; breakage of panels and; delay in installation.
To prevent these problems from happening, it is essential to take some precautions. Júlio Tavernaro, commercial manager at Spin, highlighted that for a project not to be compromised it is necessary to pay attention to the issue of structural report. “In other words, assess the type of tile, whether it can be fixed or whether you will have to find the beam underneath. If you do find it, what type? Today, there are prestressed concrete beams. You can’t drill through them,” he said.
According to Francis Polo, CEO of Polo Engenharia Elétrica & Fotovoltaica, assuming that it is necessary to have qualification and expertise – duly specialized technical team, therefore – the integrator has to find out about the options in relation to suppliers and select the one that best suits their proposal: quality, price and cost-benefit ratio.
“The basics are to check how long the supplier has been on the market, seek references from other integrators – a solid partnership is essential – know the product portfolio, certifications, efficiency and useful life of the equipment (from panels to inverters), as well as the guarantees offered”, he concluded.
Read more: Leveros executive highlights the importance of qualification in the solar sector
How do you consider your integrator’s after-sales service?
Greener's questionnaire also asked customers how they consider the integrator's after-sales service. According to the company, 10% considered it average or bad. The main reason given was the delay in service.
“After you deliver the plant to the customer, a 25-year journey with the customer begins. So, after-sales is nothing more than a 'customer experience' process that needs to be maintained so that the factors that made that person buy the plant are maintained during this period”, said Fábio Furtado, CEO of SolarZ.
During his participation in the Papo Solar podcast, the specialist commented on the importance of after-sales for the photovoltaic market and highlighted that this service is essential to be able to anticipate revenue. Click here And check it out.
What was the most used payment method?
Over the past two years, the report also highlighted that financing has been a key factor in the acquisition of commercial photovoltaic systems. In 2020, for example, 58% of customers preferred financing, while in 2019 this figure corresponded to 66%.
The systems that received the most financing were in the 10 to 49,9 kWp range. According to Greener, one possible explanation for the volume financed in 2020 being lower than in 2019 is the pandemic, which made access to credit difficult due to economic uncertainties.
Watch the webinar Financing in the solar sector: how to increase the approval rate
Main motivation for purchasing photovoltaic systems
Another point addressed by Greener during the survey is the main motivation for purchasing a photovoltaic system. In this case, the consultancy reported that most businesses that acquired solar plants indicated savings as their main motivation (84%), followed by sustainability (8%). Property appreciation and dissatisfaction with the energy provider were also mentioned, but not as the main motivations.
Comments (1)
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Excellent article! It is very important for the integrator to have a proper understanding of the importance of after-sales, after all, it is a great opportunity to sell services and advice, in addition to customer loyalty. I think that an option for integrators focused only on installing the plant is to outsource after-sales services.