The analysts of the market research institute IHS have been feeling the pulse of the solar industry for years. Shortly before the Intersolar end of May in Munich they announced the latest data for the inverter industry. According to this, SMA from Niestetal near Kassel is still ahead. But the Germans are being harassed by Huawei, a Chinese supplier. Huawei sold significantly more equipment in 2016 than SMA, but the Chinese could not save so much.
Broad-based electronics group
Huawei is a broad-based electronics group similar to LG or Samsung. Up to now, the company had concentrated on string inverters for larger, primarily commercial installations. Solar parks were also equipped with Huawei's power electronics. Here, the group benefited from the booming domestic market, as the addition to China is almost exclusively based on large solar parks that are connected to the grid. SMA, on the other hand, sees no sting in China.
In the small, private market segment, the Chinese providers have almost no domestic market. If Huawei presented his first self-consumption system at the Intersolar in Munich, this is almost a sensation. In this very complex market it is about providing intelligent systems with many interfaces and additional functions.
Smart home and energy storage
Huawei has taken this step. The FusionHome Smart Energy Solution, which implements four essential functions as a plug & play solution, has emerged. These include the optimization of energy flows and self-consumption, the energy storage and integration into a smart home system. Huawei even brought his own DC optimizer for solar modules to Munich to simplify the design of the strings.
But the Chinese go much further: At Huawei one can combine classical strings and optimized strings, the inverter takes both systems. It is even possible to equip individual modules with DC optimizers for partial shading, for example, and to install them in a string of simple solar panels. The smart Inverter has two inputs for strings and MPP tracking.
“In terms of price we are in the midfield. We see Sungrow, Kaco, Delta and even Fronius with more favorable prices”, Matthias Wagner, Director Business Development & Distribution Europe and Middle Asia says. “With our new product we will be more in the price range of SMA than of the other Chinese suppliers, especially since we have additional features already included”. (HS / HCN)
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