Demand for energy generation products on the rise
Rising energy prices as a result of the Ukraine war are leading to increased demand for products related to alternative energy sources. This is shown by the procurement barometer of the online platform wlw (formerly "Wer liefert was") for the second quarter of 2022.
When looking at the 20 categories with the strongest growth in comparison between the second quarter of 2021 and the second quarter of 2022, products for energy generation dominate. Photovoltaic systems (305% increase in page views) record the largest increase in this segment, followed by solar modules (up 287%) and geothermal probe drilling (up 252%). Power generators register an increase in demand of 261%.
Firewood is also increasingly sought again
When it comes to heating, an almost archaic energy source stands out. Thus firewood registers an increase of the side calls around 207%. Strong increases are also found in the categories wood pellets (244% increase), wood briquettes (241% increase) and small wind turbines (241% increase). Heat pumps, after all, record an increase of 179%.
"The variety of energy-related categories could be an indication that the broad mass of tradespeople, and possibly even individuals, are looking for alternative energy products on our B2B platform," says Peter F. Schmid, CEO of platform operator Visable. "That's a good thing. The energy turnaround is a task for society as a whole, and everyone has to get involved."
"Age of sustainability is ushered in".
"The 'age of crises' is finally ushering in the 'age of sustainability'. The switch to renewable energies reduces dependencies and increases crisis resilience," says the Visable CEO. In a survey conducted by Visable in cooperation with the opinion research institute YouGov, 49 percent of the companies surveyed in Austria had already stated in April that the importance of sustainability had increased for them as a result of the current crises.
However, despite all efforts, there is still a long way to go before the economy and society are fully converted to sustainability. A look at the categories with the greatest growth in the second quarter of 2022 also shows how great the dependence on fossil fuels still is: diesel fuels are in first place and heating oils in 18th place. The fossil age will therefore continue for a while yet, even if the reorientation toward renewable energies has now finally begun.
Source: Visible
