Europe Is Falling Behind

Find out what insights were gained at the trade fair, why the article argues that Europe is still falling behind, and whether that gap can be closed.

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SMA finally presents a solution for smaller solar systems

One aim of visiting the trade fair was to look at the latest manufacturer developments and innovations. SMA from Kassel presented the single-phase Sunny Boy Smart Energy (SE) hybrid-inverter series. Sunny Boy units are single-phase inverters and, according to the article, are approved in Germany up to 4.6 kVA AC output. The hybrid versions are intended for smaller solar systems.

The newly presented hybrid inverters add battery charging and discharging. They are designed to continue supplying backup power when the public grid fails by disconnecting from the grid through an internal switching device.

The hybrid Sunny Boy units have been available since October 2023.

SMA launches its own high-voltage batteries

SMA also introduced its own compatible high-voltage battery series. The article states that the inverters can also be used with BYD HVM and HVS batteries. For larger systems, Sunny Tripower Smart Energy three-phase hybrids are intended to process larger PV arrays depending on roof orientation.

The article compares SMA with KACO and describes both as German manufacturers offering single- and three-phase hybrid solutions that can provide backup power without an external transfer unit in suitable configurations.

What do other manufacturers offer?

The article notes that large Chinese manufacturers such as GoodWe, Sofar Solar, Solis and Sungrow had already offered similar technology for some time when the article was written.

At that time, the article describes some German and European manufacturers, including Fronius and Kostal, as requiring different approaches for backup operation. It states that Fronius offered a limited emergency-power output and required an external Enwitec switching box for broader backup operation, while Kostal had announced future backup capability.

The article's conclusion at that time was that Chinese manufacturers had a technological and production-capacity advantage and that products from GoodWe, Sofar Solar, Solis and Sungrow were often available more quickly than comparable European systems.

Products available from stock at the time of the article: GoodWe, Sofar Solar, Solis and Sungrow

As an example, the article highlights GoodWe hybrid inverters and lists the following characteristics:

• Backup power without additional external switching boxes in suitable system configurations.
• Compatibility with selected battery systems such as Pylontech, depending on the inverter model and manufacturer approval.
• Accessories such as a three-phase smart meter and Wi-Fi were included with some systems, together with documentation.

Outlook

The article argues that Germany and Europe had already fallen behind in some areas of inverter technology and production capacity. It questions how quickly European manufacturers could close that gap while Chinese manufacturers continued to respond rapidly to customer requirements and scale production.

For solar panels, the article sees more positive examples and points to European manufacturers that remained competitive. It mentions Heckert Solar and Qcells as examples.

What comes next?

The following article looks at questions frequently raised in technical advice, including:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of low-voltage and high-voltage battery-storage systems?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of single-phase and three-phase inverters?

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