Q-Cells enters Japanese residential PV market

TOKYO, JAPAN & BITTERFELD-WOLFEN, GERMANY: Q-Cells SE, one of the world’s leading photovoltaics companies, is the first company of German origin to enter the Japanese residential market with integrated photovoltaic (PV) solutions.

In order to ensure a successful market entry, QCells has founded the Q-Cells Meister Club (QMC), which is an innovative sales network of selected local installers, offering residential PV solutions with Q-Cells solar modules. The QMC delivers Japanese residential end customers high quality solar systems kits for their roof-top installations from a single source.

“The QMC was initiated before the earthquake hit Japan”, says Nedim Cen, CEO of Q-Cells SE. “Yet, we believe that solar energy will be an important resource and growing market for the Japanese energy supply. This is why Q-Cells strengthens its presence in Japan with local partners and PV solutions.”

Since January 2010, Q-Cells has been running an office in Tokyo, selling its high quality products, comprising solar cells, multi crystalline solar modules Q.PRO and Q.BASE and thin-film solar modules Q.SMART. With the official start of QMC in early March, Q-Cells moves into offering complete PV packages to residential end customers.

The residential market makes up for 90 percent of the overall photovoltaic market in Japan with a forecast volume of 1 GWp in 2011. In March, Q-Cells installed its first residential system of 9.87 KWp in Osaka, which can make up for an electricity supply of 10.594 kWh or a reduction of 3.300 kg CO2 emissions per year.

The QMC already counts 30 members, offering entire solar systems kits, including solar modules, inverters, mounting systems, monitoring systems, cables and other components. The members of the QMC benefit from installation and sales trainings provided by Q-Cells with the overall aim, to offer highly secure and best quality system kits and services to Japanese customers.

“Our German Engineering solar modules match the quality of the components of our selected local partners and meet the high quality requirements of Japanese customers”, said Steffen Studeny, MD of Q-Cells Japan. Q-Cells will put further effort in increasing the number of members of the QMC throughout 2011.