Orders for March?

[solarcat]

Hi All,

just wondering whether it's me or the market..only have 2 orders in for March whilst before this crazy mess started in October I used to have 6-7 per month! Are you having any better luck?

 

[SRE]

Wish I had 2!!!!!!! We usually have the same as you - 6/7 a month.

Not even any prospects ......

 

[jupestar]

Got 10kwp booked in for the 14th. and a second 10kwp date to be confirmed (on a school). getting concerned about April..

 

[PAGE Renewable]

Absolutely nothing....not even any phone enquiries in the last 2 weeks.

 

[solarcat]

Thanks everyone...at least now I know that it's not just me being a terrible salesperson...
Trouble is it looks like prices are not going to decrease any further, and at present the best I can offer for a 4 kWp system installed with good Chinese panels is £8.5-9k, which results in a not very appetizing ROI considering money is blocked for 11 years..

 

[SRE]

Remember that we were selling on an 11 year payback this time last year and customers thought that was fine. I think it's a period of adjustment for the public as well as for installers. I'd just like a customer to talk to ...

 

[solarcat]

That's true, we did manage to sell on a 11 year payback last year, but there was so much less competition...anyways, being too negative doesn't help, let's get back to work (more thinking work than actually doing anything..)!

 

[TedM]

The November/December rush took about 6 months worth of customers out of the 'normal' pipeline, even before you allow for any decrease due to tariff changes. Two years worth if you compare it to the level of sales 12 months ago.

 

[SolarRoofSols]

We are not getting anything either, though to be honest we have not put any money into marketing since Christmas. We have the prospect of doing some installs for a rent a roofer and generating our own leads, but those we have been getting through are rejects from ASG and the like.

Lets hope that the dust will settle soon and homeowners will stop thinking about what they 'could have made' thanks to the negative spin that the media have put on the fiasco!

 

[babba]

None at the moment I cant see there being a big pre april rush. We buy in leads but are not turning them on till the end of the week.
I can see things being slow. I think there is still a good return on 21p.

 

[Somecamel]

My costs are pretty low so not overly worried about pricing but a few more leads would be nice.

Only thing that worries me is the amount of unheard brands coming out. Nice and cheap but will they last the course.

 

[solarcat]

That's right, in order to keep prices low we're all being tempted by tons of unheard cheapish brands...risky stuff if you ask me but competition is tough too when you have mouths to feed!

 

[Somecamel]

Won't go into prices on here but was shocked when I saw the prices of the LDK's. Check Segen

How low can you go

 

[pwboston]

They have been that price elsewhere for quite some time now. No orders for March as of yet, we will carry on contracting, and see what happens

 

[solarcat]

LDK panels have been around that price for a while, by all accounts all PV manufacturers are delivering worrying financial results to their shareholders due to prices being too unsustainably low.

 

[SRE]

I'd heard they might go a bit lower but that could be the over supply. Once the slack has been taken up and the production levels modified it will be a different story.

Update: looks like I'm wrong - more chinese panels to arrive http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2155056/china-responds-solar-glut-upping-production-targets

Is it me? I'm also seeing a lot of offers of panels from wholesalers. I'm guessing they are getting a bit jittery too.

 

[MorganPVI]

Yes - very quiet this way as well, couple of jobs lined up but not much interest - understandably consumer confidence is at an all time low due to our best pal Gregory effing up the FiT and being legal challenge happy.

Panels are as cheap as they will get, they will climb soon for a couple of reasons.

Poly Silicon is now $30 a KG, break even for most producers is $45/kg, therefore 2 major processors have gone on holiday till the price rises and current stocks deplete, secondly China will be having their own FiT so Chinese installs will be going through the roof this year, demand will be high domestically and export will suffer. the rest of the world does not have the manufacturing capacity to compensate - so expect less stock on shelves.

 

[moggy1968]

a number of American manufacturers have already gone to the wall, waiting for some of the European ones to follow now. This is the inevitability of driving prices down.

 

[babba]

Its not all down to panels for prices to drop much more, there is a lot more to a system than panels and I dont see much give from SMA and the rest of the gang on other components..

 

[synergy power]

Ive had 5 installs over the past 4 weeks, i placed a quarter page advert in my local paper going out to 250,000 to try and get some march jobs but i havent even had any hits on my website never mind sales....

Gettig quite worried now!