Longer wait time for solar panels after energy price increase

Demand for alternative forms of energy has increased so much in recent months that customers who want to buy solar panels from the web store Coolblue are sent straight to competitors, Nu.nl reports. Some companies say wait times for installation and delivery have tripled.

The rush for sustainable home modifications like solar panels, heat pumps and insulation caused a shortage of many materials in March. Now, although solar panels are still available, they won’t be delivered as quickly.

“Fortunately, most customers have patience," Tim Bruin, commercial manager of ZelfOpwekken.nl, told Nu.nl. "Last year, the period between application and installation was four weeks. Now it is eight to 12 weeks.”

At Sungevity, where wait times have almost tripled, there is a shortage of parts, said Maartje Engelen. At Zonneplan, there is enough stock until October or November at least, said Frank Breukelman. “If it gets really busy, we temporarily switch off our marketing campaigns,” he added.

Solar power is an increasingly popular investment for homeowners to lower their energy bills in the long run. In fact, the Netherlands is second only to Australia in solar panels per inhabitant. This is aided by the government’s “netting scheme,” where households can sell surplus energy back to energy suppliers.