Game between big shots of solar inverters: SMA vs. Samil Power

Sep 27, 2012//Solar Power is an alternative renewable source of energy which is favoured for renewability and being pollution free. Another advantage of solar energy would be its availability to all, albeit some more than others, but nonetheless still available to all.

Reports on the Global PV market indicate an increase of 3% with regards to the use of solar inverters in 2012. Further to that, the report shows that Germany is the global and European leader in terms of PV use and inverter sales. The parties who have benefited the most from this increase in use appear to the local inverter companies, who have witnessed booming sales, as a result of incentives as well as impressive installations by them.

With this increase in inverter use brings the issue of foreign companies trying to grab a slice of the pie in this lucrative market. Currently, the competition between the local and foreign manufacturers of solar inverters remains intense, with tension running high between these competitors due to the fear of the local companies of these foreign entities and what they might bring to the plate. Many of the Asian Inverter companies generally adopt their marketing materials and methods geared towards infiltrating the German Market. However, this has proved to produce less than satisfactory results, with the local consumers and companies remaining loyal to their local products and ignoring these “foreign invaders.”

Examples of foreign entities trying to break into the German market would be “Sungrow”, “Eversolar” and “Samil Power”. SamilPower was one of the pioneering Chinese companies to enter the German Market. However, even until recently, they have not had much success with their attempts to open up the German market; being questioned by the who’s who of the German Power market—SMA, especially regarding their advertising claims about being “the best Asian inverter”. However, things may have taken a turn for the better with Photon Magazine conducting a review of their SolarRiver SR4K4TLA1 inverter in August 2011. The review stated that ‘Samil Power’s SolarRiver SR4K4TLA1 is the best Asian inverter tobe tested by PHOTON Lab’ and that it was in the same league as established products like xxx,xxx, and xxx’.

Why inverter companies from all parts of the world cannot enjoy a fair competition? The principle lies in that fair market comprises both challenges and opportunities; and neither can exist effectively without each other. Enterprises are supposed to focus their attention in product and service development.

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