Global solar EPC market dominated by US, German, Indian contractors

Although the Wiki-Solar website ranking only provides a snapshot of PV project engineering, procurement and construction contracts outside of China, it is nevertheless a useful indicator of the changing global solar market landscape. Of the top 11 companies, four are based in India, three in Germany, and two in the United States. But last year’s largest contractor, U.S.-based First Solar, might lose its leading position this year, as it has largely discontinued its EPC activities.

April 13, 2020 Emiliano Bellini

Indian project developer Sterling & Wilson was the third largest EPC contractor last year with 2.65 GW of deployed solar, according to Wiki-Solar.

Photo: Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy/Business Wire

From pv magazine International

U.S. solar module manufacturer and project developer First Solar was the largest EPC contractor last year with 4.31 GW of deployed solar, according to Wiki-Solar.

The company’s ranking includes all EPC activity for PV projects above 4 MW in size that have been deployed over the past year at the global level, outside of China.

The second position is occupied by U.S.-based Swinerton with another 4.1 GW, followed by Indian contractors Sterling & Wilson and Acme Solar, with 2.6 GW and 2.0 GW, respectively.

Germany’s Belectric, Juwi, and Enerparc occupy the next three positions in the ranking, with 2 GW, 1.9 GW, and 1.8 GW of deployed PV, respectively.

“Four of the top 11 companies are based in India,” said Wiki-Solar CEO Philip Wolfe. “This reflects not only the strength of the domestic Indian market, but also the fact that companies like Sterling & Wilson are now prominent in bidding for projects elsewhere – such as the world’s largest single plant at Sweihan in the [United Arab Emirates].”

Wolfe said that success in overseas markets has similarly allowed leading German companies such as Belectric, Juwi, Enerparc and BayWa r.e. to remain high on the list, even as their home markets have stagnated.

“Spanish EPCs too have remained active internationally and can now be expected to climb the table as their home market revitalizes,” Wolfe stated. “First Solar, which has now largely discontinued its EPC activities, may well lose its #1 position this year,” he also said.

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