 Giving your meter a break
SunSwitch
SunSwitch, joined the photovoltaic market in July 2007. Created by three passionate people, it currently employs more than 60 employees and installs photovoltaic systems everywhere in Belgium. Let us put the spotlight on a most promising company in Walloon Brabant.
The inspiration for this company came from three young friends preoccupied with environmental problems and the determination to act. They decided to create their own company and enter the renewable energies market. As the cheapest electricity available is one that is not fully utilised, the trio went for photovoltaic solar energy. This ecological technology has proven to be very profitable to their clients.
Success came quickly. The company soon expanded from three to 10 employees by the end of 2007, to more than 60 today.
In December 2008, SunSwitch celebrated its one-thousandth order. With more than 30 installations fitted every week, the Louvain-la-Neuve company is the photovoltaic provider to be reckoned with in French-speaking Belgium. Its turnover bordered on 10 million euros in 2008 and, for 2009, SunSwitch forecasts 20 million euros. “We were the market pioneers when we launched this adventure, as the photovoltaic sector was little developed in French-speaking Belgium. And although we are the market leaders, we intend to stay one step ahead.”asserts chief executive, Jérôme Kervyn de Meerendré.
A full solution
For Jérôme Kervyn de Meerendré, co-founder and chief executive of SunSwitch, what distinguishes them from the competition is above all their turnkey photovoltaic solution. It was the first to offer a full service to its clients. From the first commercial contact to the installation, via support for subsidy applications and after sales services, SunSwitch takes care of everything.
The young company’s success is also explained by the trend for photovoltaic solar energy generated by regional plans and the growing environmental awareness of fellow countrymen.
The Louvain-la-Neuve-based company was the first to introduce CIS (Copper Indium Selenium) panels to the Belgian market. This is the latest generation of solar panels with a thin layer.
unSwitch has several technological alternatives which each emphasises the aesthetics criterion, productivity or the price by balancing it with the other criteria. The company defines the best solution for their clients’ needs, available roof surface, electric consumption and budget.
Tackling continuity
The vision of SunSwitch goes beyond the sale of photovoltaic solar panels. Above all, it is about enabling clients to produce electricity for at least 20 years. There are two major advantages: a lower electricity bill and financial income guaranteed by the green certificates resulting from the production. However, it is essential to monitor the continuity of production.
SunSwitch proposes remote production monitoring to its clients, by making its data available on its website. The Green Certificate meter sends production data by GPRS to a database managed by SunSwitch. This enables SunSwitch to generate warnings when production is stopped or is unusually low compared to installations with the same characteristics in the same region. The client is also informed of every 1000 kWh produced in order to apply for the Green Certificates from the regional administration; the CWAPE (Walloon Committee for Energy). SunSwitch has been installing this system since August 2009. This gives true added value to its clients.
SunSwitch has also won numerous awards. Among others, it won the Stater 2008 award granted by the ALICHEC (business school in Brussels), and in 2009 the award for Most promising enterprise in Walloon Brabant, issued by Solvay Entrepreneur (another business school in Belgium) and was also a finalist for the Grand Prix Wallon de l’Entrepreneuriat in 2009. These awards confirm SunSwitch’s success and its commitment to contributing a building stone to the fortress in the fight against climate warming.
 SunSwitch
W: www.sunswitch.be
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