PV Inverter Supplier Base Fragments in 2012

The supplier base for photovoltaic (PV) inverters further fragmented in 2012, with the total market share of the 10 largest suppliers falling by more than 4 percentage points, according to the latest quarterly report from IMS Research.

6 May 2013

The supplier base for photovoltaic inverters further fragmented in 2012, with the total market share of the 10 largest suppliers falling by more than 4 percentage points, according to the latest quarterly report from IMS Research, now part of IHS Inc.This was partly due to strong growth in demand from China and Japan, where most of the Top 10 largest suppliers have limited presence. SMA Solar Technology’s share of global revenue fell for the third consecutive year to slightly more than 25 percent—as the PV market continued to fragment and demand for its products weakened in its core markets. A flurry of recent M&A activity, including Advanced Energy’s acquisition of REFUsol and ABB’s purchase of Power-One, also has had little impact on the competitive landscape and has resulted in only minimal changes to the supplier rankings.Although recent bankruptcies, exits and acquisitions normally would indicate industry consolidation, the market share of the 10 largest PV inverter suppliers fell from 62 percent in 2011, to 56 percent in 2012. SMA Solar Technology’s dominant position in the PV inverter industry slid further in 2012, when its share fell to slightly more than 25 percent, having stood at nearly 40 percent in 2009.The year 2012 saw many of the leading suppliers, including the three largest—SMA, Power-One and Kaco—lose market share, largely due to their limited presence in China and Japan, both of which grew rapidly in 2012,” said Sam Wilkinson, PV inverter research manager at IHS. “The majority of suppliers that gained share in 2012 were mid-size companies that are targeting growing segments of the market, in contrast to the market leaders whose businesses still heavily revolved around the stagnating core markets in Europe. The number of suppliers with a market share of more than 1 percent increased to 24 in 2012, with this growing group of suppliers accounting for three-quarters of market revenue.”<a href="http://qualenergia.it/articoli/20130506-pv-inverter-supplier-base-fragments-2012"> read more</a> (source: QualEnergia.it)