APRICUS: a 12% share on the vacuum solar market in Romania

Mihai Vintila - Apricus Europe

Apricus Eastern Europe Office, with the headquarter in Silistea (Braila County) is the regional office of Apricus Solar, founded in 2003 in Australia, a company which became rapidly one of the world solar market leaders when it comes to solar thermal energy. „For Apricus Solar, last year was a period for extensive growing, especially in acceding on several markets from Eastern Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. Globally, the annual sales of vacuum solar panels and other special systems (representing the so-called thermal solar field) are valued at several bilion dollars, of which in the European Union and Switzerland specialized companies have an average turnover of 2,6 bilion euros and employs 32,000 professionals, as shown by the data of European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF).

According to this organization, in Romania the vacuum tube solar market amounted to 7,000 sqm of new vacuum collectors installed in 2011 and, according to our estimates, in the last year the deliveries on these sistems totaled an area of over 7,300 sqm. Also, the ESTIF experts shows that the overall level of solar thermal panels operating in our country was around 105,200 sqm in 2011, comparable to that from Bulgaria, Slovacia, Slovenia...” said Mihai Vintila, Relationship Manager for Eastern Europe of Apricus”.

Describing the work of the regional office, the company official also pointed out that through the local distributor, Cyclon Tech, the sales in Romania increased in 2012 compared with the previous 12 months, thanks to the participation to complex projects. „Taking into consideration the optimal dinamic of the orders, we predict that on a national scale we hold a share of 12% of the specific market and we intend to increase this share in 2013. The most required Apricus systems installed combine solar energy with conventional power systems (based on natural gas or wood), the main investment objectives are distinguishing themselves boths in industrial as well as in the home use. For the current year we plan to enter new markets  and launch innovative products as key elements of our business. We have at our disposal the Apricus Solar expertise which last year achieved deliveries worth 20 million USD (without taking into consideration the sales of the subsidiaries from US and Australia).

The main products sold in 2012 were the evacuated tube panels with 10, 20 and 30 tubes. The most successful model was AP30 (panel with 30 tubes), owning over 50% of sales. Among the most dynamic markets of Eastern Europe we remark especially Poland, Hungary and Romania – in Romania the south eastern area having an outstanding contribution in terms of number of contracts and orders. With two factories in China and USA, Apricus Solar develops a new investment of over two million dollars in a new facility, the works being already initiated and aiming the installation of equipment to manufacture flat solar panels.

Also in 2013 we will provide to the customers new innovative models of solar pumping units, air-water heat pumps, boilers and various types of connections. We have also created new waterproof structures which optionally can replace the classic stainless steel structures.

Reffering to the prospects of the local market on a short and medium term, everything depends on the continuation of the „Green House” program, coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change which is financed by the Environment Found where the state reimburses the amount of 6,000 lei the the beneficiaries that installs heating systems using renewable energy. Without this incentive – or if the financial allocations will be insufficient – the sales of the companies in this industry will decrease accordingly” concluded Mihai Vintila.

You can find additional information on http://www.apricus.com

Source : Agenda Constructiilor