KACO new energy sold and delivered more inverters in 2017 than ever before in its almost 20-year history. The Neckarsulm-based manufacturer sold inverters with an output of two gigawatts worldwide. Incoming orders were at a high level throughout 2017 reaching 2.5 gigawatts by the end of the year to meeting forecast from mid-2017.
Price/performance and reliability: arguments for German-made inverters
“Group sales of 162 million euros represent a growth of 51 percent compared to 2016. The 50 kVA blueplanet 50.0 TL3 string inverter, which has been on the market for two years, accounted for the largest share. Since its introduction, we have supplied the inverter to commercial roof and open space projects with a total output of one gigawatt. I see the main reasons for this in the good price/performance ratio and the outstanding reliability with which we as a German manufacturer can often prevail over cheaper suppliers. ‘Made in Germany’ still beats ‘made in China’ worldwide. And for good reason," says Ralf Hofmann, CEO of KACO new energy GmbH.
The company underlines the trend towards the use of string inverters in large-scale solar power plants with the introduction of a new technology platform in the form of the blueplanet 125 TL3, a new string inverter with an output of 125 kVA and a system voltage of up to 1,500 volts.
New battery inverter already available
"In addition, we are building on last year's success with the already available and cascadable 50 kilowatt battery inverter blueplanet gridsave 50.0 TL3-S. Storage is currently on everyone's lips and the market is promising. So, we’ve already been able to sell several thousand devices at the beginning of the year. The inverter is another technology trendsetter from KACO new energy in this field, which can be used by system integrators in a wide variety of storage applications. The first devices were recently installed in South Korea, where they help to stabilize the grid with solar power even at night," says Ralf Hofmann.
About KACO new energy:
KACO new energy, headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of inverters for grid-feed solar power. The product line-up covers the full power range, from single units designed for a family home up to complete systems for solar parks producing megawatts of electricity. Since 1999, KACO new energy has supplied inverters with a cumulative power output of 12 gigawatts. This offering has been extended to include solutions for PV self-consumption and energy storage, devices for grid management, as well as products and value-added services for utility-scale projects. KACO new energy is the first company in the photovoltaic industry to achieve CO2-neutral production. In 2014, the family-owned company celebrated the 100th birthday of the original parent company which, at the end of the 1930s, was one of first ever inverter manufacturers. More at www.kaco-newenergy.com