Ioannis Chatzichristofis, Regional Sales Manager at KOSTAL Solar Electric, on market conditions in Poland. © KOSTAL Solar Electric

Ioannis Chatzichristofis is Regional Sales Manager at KOSTAL Solar Electric and is responsible for the Polish, Czech, Baltic and Finnish markets. In the interview, he explains the current challenges in the Polish photovoltaic market and why he still sees strong long-term potential.

Munich, 15. January 2025

Can you briefly outline KOSTAL’s product portfolio?

KOSTAL Solar Electric was founded in Germany in 2006 and is a provider of power electronics for residential and commercial photovoltaic systems. In addition to inverters, the product portfolio includes wall boxes, energy meters, planning tools and monitoring software. We are represented in Poland with our full range of products and services.

How is KOSTAL positioned in the Polish photovoltaic market?

KOSTAL operates its own production facility in Poland. The plant near Lublin produces PV power electronics for series and pre-series production intended for the European market.

What is the second aspect of KOSTAL’s market activity in Poland?

The second aspect is KOSTAL’s hybrid inverter concept. It simplifies access to photovoltaics for Polish customers. With a KOSTAL battery inverter, customers can upgrade from a PV system without storage to a system with storage via an activation code.

Can you briefly explain how the switchover works?

Customers who initially install a PV system without storage can operate our battery-ready inverters as standard inverters. If they decide to add storage later, they can purchase an activation code. The system is then upgraded to a full hybrid inverter compatible with batteries as well as heat pumps and smart home applications.

Where do you see the advantages in the market?

This approach lowers the entry barrier to energy storage, which is particularly relevant in a young and price-sensitive market.

Which products do you offer on the Polish market?

For residential customers, we offer inverter models that can be activated as hybrid inverters at any time. For commercial customers, we provide the PIKO CI series for PV systems with outputs of 100 kilowatts and above. In addition, we offer planning tools, monitoring and energy management systems in Poland.

How satisfied are you with the current market situation in Poland?

Although the environment for small PV systems is more challenging compared to previous years, there are still strong reasons for a positive outlook for the Polish PV market. Driven by the EU’s broader focus on electrification and alternative heating systems, the residential market is expected to stabilise.

How do you assess the Polish market in the long term?

Polish authorities estimate up to 20 gigawatts of additional PV capacity could be connected to the grid over the next 10 years. Combined with targeted subsidies and rising electricity prices, further growth in the Polish PV market is expected. A key prerequisite for sustainable growth is the modernisation of the Polish electricity grid.

Interview by Manfred Gorgus