The verdict in three sentences
For a B2B solar installer, whether in Berlin or Lyon, the website is no longer a brochure: it is a qualification tool that must turn a warehouse manager into a technical site visit. A budget of EUR 15,000 to 24,000 excl. VAT with a yield and payback simulator and HubSpot integration pays for itself with the first signed contract, since the average deal reaches EUR 85,000. The realistic 2026 target is 25 qualified leads per month at an acquisition cost below 2% of the deal value, meaning less than EUR 1,700 per project won.
What a lead-generating B2B solar website must include
The typical prospect is a logistics site director, a property asset manager or a business park operator. They want three answers: how much they will generate, how many years until payback, and whether you have delivered comparable projects. The site must answer all three before the first call. The benchmark below comes from a Lyon project and transfers well to Berlin, where agency day rates are similar.
| Component | Commercial role | Indicative 2026 budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 to 18 page core (rooftops, canopies, self-consumption, references) | Credibility and local SEO | EUR 6,000 to 9,000 |
| Yield simulator (PVGIS data, surface, orientation) | Capture the lead with a quantified estimate | EUR 4,000 to 7,000 |
| Payback module (feed-in tariff, self-consumption, IRR) | Qualify budget and maturity | EUR 2,000 to 4,000 |
| HubSpot integration (forms, scoring, sequences) | Hand the lead to sales in under 10 min | EUR 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Quantified case studies (kWp, output, savings) | Reassure industrial buyers | EUR 1,000 to 1,500 |
| Google Ads + GA4 conversion tracking | Measure the real cost per lead | EUR 500 to 1,000 |
The total lands between EUR 15,000 and 24,000 excl. VAT depending on simulator depth. Delivery takes 8 weeks: 2 weeks of scoping and content, 4 weeks of development, 2 weeks of QA and campaign setup.
Cost per lead and acquisition channels: 2026 orders of magnitude
Commercial solar remains competitive. Google Ads bids on queries like "commercial solar installation" or "solar carport" sit between EUR 4 and 9 per click. With a 6 to 10% conversion rate on a page equipped with a simulator, cost per lead ranges from EUR 45 to 90.
| Channel | Estimated cost per lead | Qualification rate | Cost per qualified lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Ads Search (with simulator) | EUR 45 to 90 | 35 to 45% | EUR 110 to 240 |
| Google Ads without simulator (simple form) | EUR 80 to 150 | 20 to 30% | EUR 300 to 650 |
| Local SEO (after 6 to 9 months) | EUR 10 to 25 | 40 to 50% | EUR 25 to 60 |
| LinkedIn Ads (industry executives) | EUR 120 to 220 | 30 to 40% | EUR 350 to 650 |
| Trade fairs (Pollutec, Intersolar) | EUR 250 to 500 | 25 to 35% | EUR 800 to 1,800 |
| Purchased leads from platforms | EUR 60 to 120 | 10 to 20% | EUR 400 to 1,000 |
The simulator makes the difference: it multiplies the qualification rate by 1.5 because the prospect enters surface, consumption and budget before leaving contact details. HubSpot then assigns a score, and only projects above 100 kWp go to field sales.
Calculating acquisition cost against deal size
With an average deal of EUR 85,000, the 2% ceiling equals EUR 1,700 per contract. Targeting 25 qualified leads per month with an 8% close rate gives you 2 projects per month. You can therefore spend at most EUR 3,400 per month on acquisition, roughly 30 to 40 raw leads at EUR 90, or 50 to 70 leads at EUR 50.
Mini case study
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Julien runs a 14-person solar installer near Lyon. His 2019 brochure site brought in 6 requests a month, 2 of them usable. He invests EUR 19,500 excl. VAT in a site with simulator and HubSpot, plus EUR 2,800 per month in Google Ads. By month four, he receives 42 leads, 24 of them qualified (100 to 500 kWp projects). He signs 2 contracts a month averaging EUR 85,000, or EUR 170,000 in monthly revenue. Acquisition cost: EUR 2,800 divided by 2 contracts, EUR 1,400 per project, 1.6% of the deal. The site is paid off by the margin on the first project (about EUR 25,000 gross margin). A Berlin installer with the same deal size would see the same arithmetic.
FAQ
How much does a website with a solar simulator cost for a B2B installer?
Budget EUR 15,000 to 24,000 excl. VAT for a full B2B site with yield simulator, payback module and CRM integration. A simple PVGIS-based simulator starts around EUR 4,000, and an IRR module with self-consumption adds EUR 2,000 to 4,000.
How long does it take to launch a solar lead generation website?
The standard timeline is 8 weeks, Google Ads campaigns included. First leads arrive at launch if campaigns are ready, while local SEO takes 6 to 9 months to deliver 30 to 40% of the volume.
Why integrate HubSpot instead of a simple email form?
HubSpot scores the lead (surface, kWp, budget) and routes it to sales in under 10 minutes. A lead called back within the hour converts 3 to 5 times better than one called the next day.
What cost per lead should I target on Google Ads in 2026?
On B2B solar queries, EUR 45 to 90 per lead is a realistic order of magnitude with a simulator. Above EUR 150, the problem usually lies in the landing page, not the bids.
Should the simulator show a price?
It should show a range (for example EUR 0.90 to 1.20 excl. VAT per installed Wp on rooftops) and an estimated payback period. An honest range filters out non-viable projects and lifts the qualification rate by 10 to 15 points.
Let's scope your project. Send us your service area, project types and monthly lead target, and we will price the site, simulator and HubSpot integration with an indicative budget and an 8-week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
