COVID-19 and Spanish PV: Ingeteam’s response

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Image credit: Ingeteam

Earlier this week, Spanish solar association UNEF convened an online debate to explore how the industry is navigating the impacts from the COVID-19 crisis. The session, attended online by PV Tech (see here for full coverage), opened the floor to sector players facing component delays and the government-mandated shutdown of solar factories and power plant construction work.   

What follows is a selection of some of the statements by Juan Carlos Jadraque, Solar PV Area director at inverter manufacturer Ingeteam, as he addressed session attendees and fellow speakers.  

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

On Ingeteam’s response so far:

“When the outbreak began in China clients started to ask if we’d be impacted. Although we source supplies from China it is not the only nor a critical market for us so we were able to solve this.”

“Then the virus expanded to an important market for us, Italy. It then became necessary to analyse case by case to determine a reaction plan … We more or less worked it out and we stuck to our commitments.

“When the virus reached Spain a series of measures became necessary … The same day schools closed we decided to send some 200 workers to work from home … We disinfected facilities, thought of protocols to reduce staff numbers.

“Last weekend was the next step … and this is when we have stopped serial production. In these times I feel the hour has come to show responsibility and business ethics and prioritise the health of staff, as well as that of their families and surrounding communities.”

On whether the COVID-19 crisis will raise solar prices:

“Contracts are in the long-term … this [crisis] is a pause, a delay … there might be friction over timetables but not costs.

“I’d like to see how everyone in this chain, from manufacturers to installers, builders, owners and financiers, accepts this as a stop. Because if one doesn’t, then it forces the other [to follow suit] … Whereas if we all stop the measure will be more effective and we’ll all be back sooner.”

On whether solar should ramp up lobbying to ensure it is not fully paralysed

“Of course the PV industry is strategic but there are many aspects at play … this is not like [Spanish grid operator] REE’s control centre, which cannot stop.

“If you’re making components for a plant that may not even be in Spain – let’s be honest, use [contract] clauses, speak to your clients and so forth … We all want to stay on but we’ve got to be ethical and responsible.”

On inverter component supply streams most affected by COVID-19:

“It varies … For all components we tend to work with two to three options suppliers-wise and they’re not all from the same country.

“We’ve got suppliers in Germany, many in Italy and in the domestic market [Spain], as well as in Turkey, China, etc. We try to split the risk across different baskets so we’re not that dependent – although there’s more of a reliance with some components, obviously.”

“In Italy, for instance, they have a different perspective on these restrictions. It’s not a subjective ranking of essential services but instead according to [the sector code numbers known as] CNAE – it encompasses the whole firm so it is an all-or-nothing approach.”

On how remote working will change Ingeteam’s organisation going forward:

“Before this we weren’t that supportive of remote working … as an engineering firm we saw it with a dose of scepticism but now a virus has come and sent us all home. For better or worse we’re now trying it out – I can see positive elements and others that need some work.”

The prospects and challenges of solar's new era in Europe will take centre stage at Large Scale Solar Europe 2020 (Lisbon, on 30 June-1 July 2020).

This publication has also set up a tracker to map out how the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting solar supply chains worldwide. You can read the latest updates here.

If you have a COVID-19 statement to share or a story on how the pandemic is disrupting a solar business anywhere in the world, do get in touch at [email protected] or [email protected].

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

September 5, 2025
Scientists from Germany and Saudi Arabia have discovered that perovskite thin-film cells are compatible with current industry standard silicon solar cells, which they claim is a “crucial step toward the industrialisation of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells”.
September 4, 2025
Fraunhofer ISE has completed testing work of grid-forming inverters currently available in the energy industry.
September 4, 2025
The Czech national cybersecurity agency has warned that Chinese solar inverters represent a threat to the country’s data security.
September 3, 2025
Developers Alight Neoen have commissioned the 100MWp Hultsfred Solar Farm in Småland, southern Sweden.
September 3, 2025
Chinese solar manufacturer Trinasolar has signed a patent licence agreement with French module manufacturing startup Holosolis to use its TOPCon solar cell technology.
September 2, 2025
Q Energy has reached financial close for Taurus B, a portfolio of seven solar PV plants in Spain with a combined capacity of 251.71MWp.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines