Interview

OSW CEO Andy Cheng on Europe’s Booming Solar & Storage Market and Installer Digitalization

Daniel Fuchs, CCO at EUPD Group, interviews Andy Cheng, CEO of OSW, at The smarter E Europe 2026. They discuss the increasing penetration of solar and battery storage in Europe and the growing demand for digital and financing solutions among installers.

Interviewer · EUPD Group
Daniel Fuchs
CCO · EUPD Group
Guest · OSW
Andy Cheng
OSW Distribution CEO · OSW
Filmed ·Runtime 02:54Interview ·
Interview
The smarter E Europe 2026 · Munich
02:54
Filmed on site · No editorial direction beyond question set · Captions auto-generated, reviewed by EUPD Group

Key takeaways

4 points · 02:54 video
  1. Rising Solar and Storage Penetration
    According to Andy Cheng, CEO of OSW, Europe is experiencing increasing penetration rates for solar and battery storage, particularly in the residential and C&I sectors. This growth signals a booming market for plug-in storage solutions across the region.
  2. Installer Demand for Integrated Solutions
    Installers are seeking more than just products; they require comprehensive value-added services including supply chain support, digital tools for efficiency, and financing options. This shift reflects a need for solutions that streamline their entire workflow.
  3. AI-Driven Digital Tools for Installers
    OSW is developing AI and data-driven digital tools, such as the Greensketch software, to enhance installer efficiency. Greensketch helps with lead generation, proposal creation, system design, financing, and direct platform ordering.
  4. Strategic European Expansion
    OSW plans to expand its presence across Europe, having already established branches in Benelux, Germany, Spain, and Eastern Europe. The company aims to become a global distributor, fostering an ecosystem that increases installer efficiency and value.

Europe's Booming Solar and Storage Landscape

Andy Cheng, CEO of OSW, observes a significant increase in solar penetration across Europe, which in turn drives higher adoption of battery storage and smart energy products. This trend is particularly evident in the residential and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) segments, where plug-in storage solutions are experiencing rapid growth. Cheng indicates that the booming market highlights a crucial shift, moving beyond just solar panels to integrated energy solutions. This reflects a broader energy transition that demands a diversified approach to power generation and storage.

"And this is the key change, and you see the battery and not just the residential and the C&I plug-in storage, the market is booming. We can clearly see that." Cheng · 00:45

Addressing Evolving Installer Needs with Digital Innovation

The market for installers is evolving, with a growing demand for services beyond mere product supply. According to Cheng, installers now seek comprehensive support including streamlined supply chains, digital tools to boost work efficiency, and accessible financing options to enhance their entire workflow. In response, OSW is developing AI and data-driven digital solutions, such as their Greensketch software. This tool is designed to assist installers from lead generation and proposal creation to system design, financing, and one-click ordering from the OSW platform, significantly improving operational efficiency.

"They not only want a product, they want supply chain, they want a digital solution to help them increase their work efficiency. They want a financing tool." Cheng · 01:04

OSW's Strategic European Expansion and Ecosystem Building

OSW is actively pursuing an expansion strategy across Europe, with established branches in Benelux, Germany, Spain, and Eastern Europe, and plans to enter further regions. This localized approach is intended to better serve the diverse needs of European markets and installer communities. Cheng emphasizes OSW's goal to become a global distributor by creating an extensive ecosystem for installers. This ecosystem aims to not only increase their work efficiency but also generate greater value through integrated solutions and localized support.

"For us, we're trying to be a global distributor and create an ecosystem for installers, to increase their work efficiency and obviously create more value for them." Cheng · 02:16

Chapters

Chapters · click to jump
00:09
Introduction to OSW's Market Perspective
Daniel Fuchs welcomes Andy Cheng of OSW to discuss market changes in European solar and storage.
00:30
Key Market Shifts in European Solar & Storage
Cheng notes the increasing penetration of solar and storage, particularly in residential and C&I, leading to a booming plug-in storage market.
00:56
Evolving Installer Demands and Digital Solutions
Installers now seek supply chain, digital, and financing tools, which OSW addresses with AI-driven software like Greensketch to boost efficiency.
02:31
OSW's European Expansion Strategy
OSW is expanding its presence across Europe to create a global ecosystem for installers, enhancing their efficiency and value.

Interview transcript

Auto-generated · reviewed · ~3 min read
Hello and welcome. My name is Daniel Fuchs. I'm the CCO at EUPD Group, and I have the pleasure to have with me today Andy, the CEO of OSW. Andy, thank you for being with me today. Thank you for having me today. You're welcome. So looking on the market landscape, what changes do you see for solar, for storage in the European region? I think obviously the penetration rate of solar is increasing every year, so that actually leads to the penetration of battery storage and smart energy products. And this is the key change, and you see the battery and not just the residential and the C&I. Plug-in storage, the market is booming. We can clearly see that. The other change we found is for the installer market. They not just only want a product, they want supply chain, they want a digital solution to help them increase their work efficiency. They want a financing tool. They want a lot of value for their whole workflow. How does this translate in OSW's positioning? I assume you anticipated it and you have solutions ready, right? Yeah, for sure. So we are actually building lots of digital tools driven by AI, driven by lots of data. We're helping installers to build a new software called Greensketch, and that can help them to find the right leads, generate proposals, design, finance, and even one click to order from our platform. So this is actually increased their efficiency a lot for their workflow. All right. That's a clear value proposition. And when we look a little bit into the future, how do you see the markets developing? For OSW, we're definitely trying to expand across Europe. We've already set up our branch in Benelux, in Germany, Spain, and East Europe, and also we'll go to other regions for sure. For us, we're trying to be a global distributor and create an ecosystem for installers, to increase their work efficiency and obviously create more value for them. That's a really good value proposition, especially the localization factor that you open the offices everywhere. Yes. We would like to thank OSW very much for your commitment to the installer community- Yeah ... and for your commitment towards the energy transition. Thank you. Thank you, Daniel. Thank you, Andy. Thank you.
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Frequently asked questions

Andy Cheng, CEO of OSW, identifies increasing penetration rates for both solar energy and battery storage across Europe as a primary trend. This growth is particularly strong in the residential and Commercial & Industrial (C&I) segments, where the plug-in storage market is experiencing significant expansion.

Installers are increasingly looking for integrated solutions beyond just product supply. Cheng indicates they now require comprehensive support including efficient supply chains, advanced digital tools to improve workflow, and flexible financing options to support their projects and operations.

OSW provides AI and data-driven digital tools, such as the Greensketch software, designed to streamline installer workflows. This platform assists with lead generation, proposal development, system design, financing arrangements, and direct ordering from OSW’s platform.

OSW is actively expanding its operations across Europe, having already established branches in Benelux, Germany, Spain, and Eastern Europe. The company plans to continue its expansion into additional regions to broaden its distribution network and ecosystem.

OSW aims to become a global distributor, fostering an ecosystem that empowers installers and enhances their work efficiency. The company’s strategy focuses on creating more value for its partners through comprehensive solutions and localized support across various markets.