IHS Markit: Global single-phase inverter market increased by 11GW in 2018

While global grid-connected three-phase PV inverter shipments fell slightly to 93,427 MW, shipments in the single-phase segment increased 11.2% to 11,098 MW last year.

Strong global residential PV demand has driven growth. SolarEdge and SMA are the first and second single-phase inverter suppliers, respectively, followed by Growatt, which ranks third. Growatt is a Chinese inverter brand that focuses on rooftop solar inverter solutions and has been gaining market share over the past three years, coming close to challenging SMA's ranking. According to the Photovoltaic Brand Lab (PVBL), Growatt is the number one residential inverter brand in China.

According to IHS Markit, there is a clear growth shift from utility-scale solar farms to distributed solar power installations. This process is happening in the United States, Europe and China. In fact, in Germany, the installation of utility-scale solar farms is now very limited, leaving room for small solar systems, which can be used for residential and commercial purposes. Another trend in rooftop solar is the self-consumption model, which means that solar storage solutions will play an increasingly important role in this area.

As the growth momentum of utility-scale solar wanes, inverter companies are looking to the rooftop market for higher growth. However, the landscape of rooftop solar is completely different. Rooftop solar systems are decentralized, and product reliability and service capabilities do matter. Customers prefer inverter companies that provide high-quality products, local after-sales service, and online service capabilities.