Strategic Predictions for Solar Businesses in 2016
2015 was a turning point for Australian PV. The residential market decline set in (possibly) for good, without the buoying influence of feed-in tariffs (and their conclusion). The residential market is already highly penetrated, and SunWiz expects the residential market to continue to contract in 2016.
Though the commercial market grew in 2015, the growth was far less than in previous years. SunWiz expects modest growth to continue in the small-to-medium commercial segment as a whole, though there will be key high-growth segments targeted by the most well-informed and successful PV retailers.
The market for systems exceeding 100kW shone in 2015, though this was driven largely by projects borne of the Solar Flaghships program. Though there’s a lot of utility-scale tender activity from utilities and state governments, we expect few of these projects will be delivered in 2016 – this year will be more about project development activity.
2016 is a federal election year, and anything can happen. We expect some differentiation on climate (and by association) renewable policies, but don’t consider the election will have a material impact upon installations in 2016.
Issues that affect the market more directly include electricity tariff reform, feed-in tariffs ending, and the STC target.
Meanwhile, in 2016 the market will continue its distraction with Batteries, Power Purchase Agreements, and Mergers and Acquisitions, which will occur in smaller than hoped-for numbers in 2016. But SunWiz has identified 7 key opportunities that can easily add diversity to PV retailers income stream which will mark the transition towards the eventual maturation of solar retailers into energy service providers. But the #1 opportunity remains commercial PV, a segment that most PV retailers continue to struggle with, for want of some useful advice.
SunWiz’s 2016 Strategic Predictions report delves into these trends and their implications for 2016. It includes our forecast volume by segment, identifies the best states for commercial PV, provides recommendations for the commercial market, identifies key opportunities for 2016, and evaluates the battery market for 2016. Its recommendations and predictions will help set your solar business alight.