CIG has learned from SMA Solar’s annual news conference that the firm intends to increase its current market share of more than 40% this year. SMA Solar’s closest competitor Kaco New Energy Gmbh holds less than 10 %.
The firm’s Chief Executive, Guenther Cramer was quoted at the press conference as saying, "Not only do we want to keep our market share stable in 2010, we also want to increase it."
However, CIG has learned that this is a revised goal from SMA’s November outlook of gaining 40 to 50% of the global inverter market, increasing fears that the firm may lose market share to companies in the semi-conductor industry this year.
Industry experts have cautioned that companies like Advanced Energy Industries, General Electric and Siemens are aggressively exploring the profitable sector.
“Going forward it still a risky conclusion for SMA to aim for increased market share this year. All the inverter companies are adding capacities and this could potentially lead to oversupply,”
SMA’s chief executive however said that he felt the German photovoltaic market would be in the region of 4 to 5 GW’s for this year, up from 3 GW’s in 2009.
"For 2011, we see similar volumes for Germany, although it is hard to measure the impact of cuts in solar feed-in tariffs," CIG believes he said, highlighting planned once-off cuts in solar power subsidies in Europe's biggest economy.
