Solarwatt ends battery storage production in Germany

German manufacturer Solarwatt officially confirmed on Monday its plans to discontinue the production of battery energy storage systems in Dresden, eastern Germany, by the end of the year.

“For economic reasons, it is unfortunately no longer possible to continue operations in Germany beyond 2024 for the foreseeable future,” said Detlef Neuhaus, CEO of Solarwatt.

The company had previously announced that it would also end its PV module manufacturing in Germany due to economic reasons. The company will officially close its 300 MW solar panel manufacturing facility in Dresden in August. 

Around 170 of the 750 employees will be affected by the closure of Solarwatt’s module and storage production facility in Germany. The company is now looking to find jobs for these employees in other areas, such as consulting, planning, or installation.

In the future, Solarwatt intends to have its battery storage systems manufactured by contract manufacturers in Asia. Until the end of the year, the Solarwatt Battery flex residential storage system, which will soon be upgraded with additional features, will still be produced in Dresden.

Development of next generation battery storage system

Simultaneously, the company is developing its next generation of battery storage systems. “We are currently looking to identify a production partner for the new generation of products,” Neuhaus says.

Solarwatt intends to focus on complete solutions and energy management and is investing heavily in this area. The company is also planning to sell its products more directly. The company plans to set up several new, dedicated locations to carry out the planning and installation of photovoltaic systems and heat pumps for homeowners and businesses.