Since photovoltaic solar panels have been gaining in popularity lately, several french SMES have decided to manufacture readily available and easily installed solar panels. SolaireDirect, which belongs to the founding members and to investors such as Schneider Electric Ventures,the Caisse des Dépôts and Techfund, is currently taking on an average of 10 employees each month, and expects its annual turnover to increase from €1.7 million in 2007 to €50 million in 2008 and to €190 million in 2009. Although solar panels have long been shunned because they were thought to be ineffective and unprofitable, investors and consumers are becoming increasingly more interested in them due to surging energy bills, improving technologies and the european commitments to reduce energy consumption Co2 emissions.
