The growing integration of energy storage in solar projects across Spain is beginning to transform how solar PV plants are designed and built.
In an increasingly competitive market environment, the addition of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and hybrid configurations is forcing developers to rethink key components of solar parks, including the mounting systems that support PV modules and influence both installation and long-term asset performance.
"At this stage, Schletter is focused on offering products that can provide certainty around operational costs and ensure that mounting systems will perform the same today as they will in 10 years," said Ángel Alegría, Head of Commercial at Schletter, in an exclusive interview during Future Energy Summit (FES) Iberia 2026.
According to Alegría, one of the main challenges in the current market is integrating new technologies without complicating project execution.
"We know storage is increasing because it improves the profitability of solar assets.
That means we need mounting systems capable of integrating storage solutions and hybrid systems without making installation or the overall project more complex," Alegría explained.
"More and more we are encountering challenging terrain and tighter installation timelines," added the Schletter executive.
In this scenario, mounting structures must meet a dual requirement: adapting to difficult site conditions while avoiding additional complexity in the construction process.
To respond to this demand, the company is developing solutions designed to facilitate adaptation to different slopes and terrain conditions.
Among these innovations, the executive highlighted an adapter that allows installers to adjust the tilt of photovoltaic tables during installation, simplifying assembly on uneven terrain.
Alongside these technical changes, the solar industry is increasingly paying attention to operational costs, particularly in a context where project profitability is under growing pressure.
For Schletter, this environment reinforces the importance of structural reliability.
SWe are talking about long-term investments.
These are not five-year investments; they are investments designed to last 20 or 30 years," Alegría emphasized.
From the manufacturer"s perspective, a mounting system that fails to perform properly can directly impact project economics.
"If the mounting system does not properly protect the module or does not behave as expected, operation and maintenance costs will quickly exceed CAPEX," the company executive warned.
In this context, Schletter aims to position itself in the market with a strategy centered on the reliability of its solutions.
According to Alegría, the company"s primary objective remains "to offer a reliable, well-engineered product at the most competitive price possible.
Latin America: a growth market for European manufacturers
Beyond Europe, the company also sees strong expansion opportunities in Latin America, a region where solar development continues to progress at different levels of market maturity.
SLatin America is an extremely interesting and important market.
Its development trajectory makes it a region we are actively pursuing," the executive said.
"We believe customers truly need a partner that can support them throughout the entire development process and add value to the project value chain," he added.
The company combines German engineering with a manufacturing structure in China, allowing it to maintain strong technical standards while offering cost-competitive solutions across different markets.
According to Alegría, this model is already delivering results in several Latin American countries, where the company participates in projects facing demanding climatic conditions while transferring its European know-how.
"Countries like the Dominican Republic are particularly challenging in this sense and allow us to deploy our full product portfolio," he noted.
He also highlighted the company"s strong position in that market: "We are one of the largest suppliers of fixed-tilt structures and the only company offering trackers on the island.