Wedoany.com Report-Oct 30 , Photomate, a Czech company, specialises in providing smart solar technologies for commercial, industrial, and residential customers. Active in the renewable energy market since 2008, Photomate has earned the status of Value Added Partner (VAP) and Certified Service Partner (CSP) with Huawei.

Nikolay Ivanov, Country Manager for Bulgaria, PhotomateAs part of its portfolio, the company offers Huawei inverters, transformer stations, and batteries, while also delivering expert technical support for those products. Over the years, Photomate expanded its business to numerous European markets, including Bulgaria since 2019. Nikolay Ivanov, Country Manager for Bulgaria, has led the local team and managed partner relations and projects execution since the company entered the local market.

Photomate is a leading provider of services and equipment for solar energy projects in Bulgaria. What specific customer needs do you address?

Since 2008, Photomate has established a strong presence in the renewable energy markets of Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe, as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia. We are currently active in 23 countries, where we have partnered with Huawei to implement numerous key energy and infrastructure projects. In Bulgaria, we offer smart, reliable solar products, including inverters and energy storage batteries for both industrial and residential purposes. Our clear strengths are offering complete solutions and providing professional technical support. Our clients range from traders and households to large companies, investors in the energy sector, and enterprises focused on sustainable energy production and consumption.

With the boom of renewable energy, energy storage has acquired topmost importance. What energy storage solutions does Photomate offer in Bulgaria?

In the past two years, we have observed significant interest from both Bulgarian and international companies operating in Bulgaria in energy storage solutions. As a certified Value Added Partner (VAP) and Certified Service Partner (CSP) of Huawei, we offer a wide range of batteries with proven efficiency. One standout product in our portfolio is the HUAWEI SMART STRING ESS SOLUTION, an industrial-grade energy storage battery. With its flexible, modular, and smart design, it helps customers like transmission system operators balance the grid and manage fluctuating energy consumption. Another solution available for residential users is Huawei’s LUNA2000-S1 smart home battery. Its main advantages are enhanced safety, modular design, and flexible power expansion ranging from 7 to 84 kWh. Each battery has an integrated energy optimiser and supports independent management of charging and discharging.

What is the reason behind Photomate’s decision to add Energy Management Systems (EMS), EV chargers and heat pumps to its portfolio?

There are two reasons why we decided to add EMS, charging stations and heat pumps to our portfolio of products and services. The first is related to the company's and management's philosophy of being innovators, discovering, and offering next-generation flexible solutions that pave the way for a greener, more environment-friendly future. The second reason is more practical, driven by the increasing demand from households and businesses for comprehensive energy-efficient solutions, such as EM systems, EV chargers and heat pumps.

How do you see the development of the local market in the next few years?

The energy sector in Bulgaria, particularly in the renewable energy segment, is highly challenging but also offers vast opportunities. Together with our clients, who are also our partners, we see immense potential in upcoming large-scale projects involving the construction of photovoltaic systems and the supply of energy storage solutions.

Since the beginning of the year, in Bulgaria, we have supplied more than 800MW photovoltaic (PV) equipment and more than 240 MWh energy storage systems (BES) in residential, commerce and industry and utility scale. The inquiries our team receives for Huawei products and the technical services we provide suggest that Bulgaria will be an attractive destination for renewable energy investments in the coming years.