Photovoltaic Inverter Growth Booms in China

18 July 2014—A market research report from IHS Technology states that the Chinese market for solar photovoltaic (PV) inverters grew more than 100 percent in 2013, from $400 million in 2012 to $800 million in 2013. The report, “PV Inverter China Market Report – 2014,” says the top 10 suppliers in China are all domestic companies.

Recent changes in China’s governmental-backed policies have smoothed the red tape involved with grid connection procedures and encouraged distributed PV power generation. The report predicts annual shipments within China will grow from 11 GW in 2013 to 18 GW in 2018. Although shipments were robust, actual installations fell short of the country’s goals to install 8 GW in 2013.

Inverters convert the electricity produced in PV modules from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) so it can be used by power grids. A move toward smaller rooftop systems will further boost the market for lower-power inverters, say IHS analysts.