Huawei’s inverters will be flowing in large volumes to European solar projects via the network of a German associate, who will handle the supply of 5GW over the next two years under the terms of a new deal.
In a recent statement, the Chinese group said its Hannover-based wholesaler partner Wattkraft Solar will distribute Fusion Solar Smart PV string inverters, a product line it last updated around five months ago.
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Launched at the All-Energy Australia show last October, the FusionSolar 6.0 Smart PV Solution integrates a 1500V inverter with a tracker system and various other functions.
The product can, Huawei claims, support a smart PV management functionality able to carry out full-load remote scans for a 100MW PV plant within 15 minutes.
The 5GW of inverters the deal will see supplied over 2020 and 2021 add to the 1.6GWac of inverters wholesaler Wattkraft is said to have distributed last year.
Ulf Hermenau, Huawei's DACH Channel Sales director, said the firm is looking forward to “further strengthening its partnerships” in the residential and C&I segments.
Huawei’s renewed targeting of Europe comes five months after its inverters were the first to comply with new grid codes in Spain, currently the continent’s fastest-growing PV market.
The prospect of increased inverter inflows into Europe emerges as new data suggests the continent will hold the greatest business opportunity for inverter substitution.
In a report out this week, IHS Markit researchers predicted inverter replacements will grow by 20% to become an 8.7GW market this year, with Europe singled out as having the greatest need.
The past few days have seen the emergence of another contender to European inverter giant.
Italy’s FIMER Group is eyeing over 7GW in shipments this year after taking over ABB’s troubled inverter business, amid claims the deal has made it the fourth largest supplier globally.
The prospects and challenges of European solar will take centre stage at Large Scale Solar Europe 2020 (Lisbon, on 31 March-1 April 2020).