In June 2024 we published 'Inverters Explained 2.0'
Read our latest work on invertersInverters Explained
Setting an EU inverter manufacturing target. Ensuring harmonised technical standards. Pairing inverters and non-firm grid connections to support the grid.
Discover the brain of the solar systemWatch the inverter industry sit down with Kerstin Jorna, Director General for Industry at the European Commission during Intersolar 2023.
What are inverters and why do they matter?
The inverter is the component that converts direct current (DC) into alternative current (AC), controls the quality of the electricity produced, and generates data on the electricity produced.
With communication to the grid, the inverter holds all information about electricity demand and makes a significant contribution to grid stability.
Without inverters, the electricity generated by the solar modules would not be useable in any electric or electronic appliance.
What is the economic value of the inverter sector in Europe?
With a production capacity exceeding 60 GW in the EU, the inverter industry holds a prominent position in the European manufacturing sector, and is one of the largest segments of the solar value chain still manufactured in Europe.
Inverter manufacturing plays a crucial role in job creation within the EU solar industry, accounting for approximately 70% of all full-time equivalents (FTEs) in European manufacturing across the solar supply chain. In 2021 this translated to around 31,000 jobs, highlighting the significant employment opportunities it provides.
What does the inverter industry need?
On cyber-resilience
- International harmonisation of technical standards.
- Grid operators must have capacity to blackstart the grid
On enabling grids
Consumers should be entitled to a non-firm grid connection
On supply chains
- Setting an ambitious inverter target within the Net-Zero Industry Act
- Ensuring the inverter industry is included throughout the Green Deal Industry Plan