PVTIME – For the first time in a decade, German inverter manufacturer SMA Solar is restarting US manufacturing, partnering with Create Energy to establish a new facility in Portland, Tennessee.
Under a memorandum of understanding recently signed by the two firms, SMA’s Sunny Highpower PEAK3 string inverters and PowerSkid turnkey solutions will be produced at the new site. This marks SMA’s return to US-based inverter production since it closed its factory in Denver, Colorado in 2016, resulting in 280 job losses. SMA attributed this closure to intense competition and price pressures at the time.
Create Energy was founded by Dean Solon, the billionaire creator of Shoals Technologies, a leading supplier of balance-of-system electrical components. It operates as a one-stop provider, offering products and engineering support to developers, independent power producers, and utility companies.
Production is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026, and the memorandum also outlines plans for joint sales and business development activities.
Solon highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two companies, describing SMA as an industry leader and a valuable partner. He said that the collaboration would advance renewable energy and deliver US-made inverters and skid-mounted equipment, adding that joining forces with SMA would drive change in the energy sector.
Jay Arghestani, SMA America’s Managing Director of Large-Scale Sales, Technology and Marketing, said the partnership demonstrated SMA’s long-term commitment to the US market. He expressed pride in working with a firm that shared the vision for a sustainable energy future and understood the importance of smart, scalable solutions for the US market. He added that collaborating with Dean Solon, a key figure in renewables, and through Create, would drive unprecedented growth and innovation in the inverter market.
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