From whom can you purchase commercial photovoltaic systems? Find out what options are available and what the advantages and disadvantages are.

If you want to invest in a commercial photovoltaic system, the challenge is then to find a suitable property – because currently demand clearly exceeds supply. Here we’ll explain how to find the right PV project for you.

First, you should determine which market segments (see 2.2) are most suitable for you. New systems are traded on the primary market. These can either be purchased as turnkey systems or in the form of rights to planned systems from project developers or installers. Alternatively, you can take the planning and construction of your photovoltaic system into your own hands. On the secondary market, on the other hand, you can acquire PV projects as existing or dismantled systems.

There are three options for the project search:

Networking: You have personal contacts with project developers, i.e. companies that build and sell photovoltaic systems.

Brokers and specialised intermediaries: They have new or existing investments brokered for them, a similar process to that used by real estate agents.

Special online marketplaces: You get access to a large selection of new and existing investments via digital intermediaries. In addition to finding suitable objects for purchase, it is also possible to sell investments here.

Advantages and disadvantages of market access

The main differences between intermediaries and online marketplaces are the variety of offers and the openness towards competitors.

Brokers and intermediaries acquire projects in their network, for which they usually claim an exclusive right to sell. This means you will only get these projects there. You can delegate the process of searching to intermediaries. With exclusive access to a selection of projects comes fewer PV projects to choose from.

Online marketplaces offer a larger selection of projects that you can screen online. The larger the selection, the more often offers and demands match, which is why a large number of offers is in the interest of marketplace operators. The accessibility makes it easier for investors to find a suitable project. This leads to higher demand. For sellers, marketplaces offer the advantage that, unlike most intermediaries, there is no need to commit to a provider.

How to recognise a professional PV marketplace

• There is a sufficient number of projects on offer.
• The marketplace operators have a high level of market expertise.
• Offer prices have a realistic market reference.
• Offers and investors are subjected to a preliminary review.
• Sufficient data on the PV systems is stored. The offer data is prepared for optimal comparability of the offers.

This article was published in our investment guide. For all other articles and information on Direct investment in commercial-sized photovoltaic systems, please visit: Milk the Sun – PV Investment Guide.