How did the market develop for Fronius in 2024?
Harald Scherleitner: It was a very difficult year for us because wholesalers and installers had extremely high inventories. We received virtually no repeat orders, meaning that we had to let staff go, with a heavy heart of course. Now, we’ve reorganised ourselves and established lean structures. Moreover, we have developed new products.
Fronius launches Reserva battery storage system
What did the restructuring of Fronius’ solar business involve?
We have made production more flexible and reduced the number of shifts in our plants. Unfortunately, this was unavoidable. Saying goodbye to every employee is painful. Solar technology and batteries now form a joint business division.
What are the advantages of these measures?
They enable us to streamline our structures, pool our resources and work even more efficiently. We have merged three business units into two powerful entities. Welding technology remains a strong pillar of Fronius.
Fronius expands partnership with installers
What new products have you introduced this year?
At Intersolar, for example, we showcased the new Verto inverters with the associated Verto Plus hybrid inverter and our Reserva DC battery. The storage system is off to a great start in terms of orders, especially as it also enables us to meet the requirements of commercial customers. The inverters and charge management for electric cars are also growing. Enquiries are rising steadily, including for the new Argeno commercial inverter.
Can you see some light at the end of the tunnel?
The first two months of this year were still sluggish, but things have been picking up since the spring. The orders are now coming in. Nevertheless, we expect the global market to be around 20 percent below the sales figures we recorded in 2022 and 2023. Beyond the German-speaking markets or Europe, we are also seeing this in the USA and Australia.
Fronius offers emergency power and is introducing a new storage system
Will things continue to go well this year?
We assume so. Stock levels have been sold out, and orders are now being placed and delivered. We are preparing for further growth, esspecially since we can rely on a strong network of specialist dealers and loyal installers.
Will anything change for Fronius customers as a result of the restructuring?
No, it’s unlikely that anybody will notice any changes in our day-to-day business. On the contrary, we are making better use of the synergies between solar technology and battery technology. Our customers always have a dedicated contact person with a high level of expertise.
Intersolar Europe 2025: Fronius unveils new products
Alongside technical aspects, the security of energy systems is becoming increasingly important. The keyword is cybersecurity. How important is this topic for Fronius?
We take this issue very seriously and are working very hard on it, because inverters play a central role in such systems. We employ experts who work full-time to keep our products secure. This involves technically securing the systems against unauthorised access, but it also involves the security of operating data. The systems are developed in Europe and meet the strictest security requirements.
Solaranlagen und Speicher gegen Cyberangriffe schützen (Podcast)
Where is the operating data for the inverters stored?
The data is stored exclusively on our own servers in Austria and in European clouds. Cybersecurity is an integral part of our development work to ensure protection against digital attacks on critical infrastructure. What’s more, Fronius' information security management system was certified according to the international standard ISO 27001 back in 2022. (HS/TF)
Read more in part 2 of this interview
Top information for your daily business! Stay informed with the pv Europe newsletter
