PV inverter market center of gravity eastward shipments fell for the first time in seven quarters

Global PV inverter shipments fell 10% qoq to 8.3GW. Decline in shipments in the second quarter and the price of the common causes PV inverter revenue fell 18% to $ 1.6 billion.

PV senior market analyst at IHS Cormac Gilligan said: "Germany, Italy, the European key markets such shipments inverter cuts out faster than expected, some of these countries this year, the inverter market will exceed 70 percent reduction."

"Part of the inverter suppliers have been very dependent on traditional large-scale market, but now vendors are deploying inverter new markets to expand in China, the United States, Japan and India, such high-growth countries in market share."

Golden Sun Project boost Chinese market

IHS said the second quarter, the China market inverter shipments increased significantly, reaching 2GW. IHS said the Golden Sun project driven by Chinese manufacturers rush to complete projects.

Gilligan said: "Although the second quarter, China inverter shipments nearly tripled, but the Chinese market is still mainly dominated by local suppliers, although a sizable market, but for overseas suppliers, the Chinese market is still challenging In addition, China wind turbine inverter prices fell 14 percent, as low as $ 0.07 per watt. "

European market, "Losing country"

With the market focus moved to the East, the European inverter market gradually, "eclipsed." Second quarter of 2013, only three European Inverter Suppliers supplier among the world's top ten (ranked by market share), compared to half of the country last year.

Gilligan said: "self-certified PV inverter market access delays, sales fell and opened up new markets all the obstacles faced by the inverter supplier to Europe pose a serious challenge."

"In addition, Chinese suppliers of these markets and the increasingly crowded foreign competitors in the highly competitive European market inverter prices will further exacerbate the decline in sales."

EMEA market demand reduction

According to the report revealed that the first half of 2013, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region of the PV inverter shipments 10GW compared to the same period last year dropped over 40%, to 6GW.

Inverter prices continue to fall

IHS said the global average price of regular inverter was sustained downward trend. Compared to the first quarter, second quarter, prices fell 10%, mainly due to the Asian market and the gradual decline in the cost of mature solar market price erosion. Based on this, in the second quarter, the global inverter sector revenue fell 18% to $ 1.6 billion.

Given prices, the European market most costly. The second quarter, sales declined in Europe inverter sector over 50 percentage points, of which Germany, Italy fell more than 60 percent of these markets.

Outlook

According to IHS forecasts, 2013 in the second half, the inverter shipments will grow significantly, annual shipments expected to reach 34.5GW. In addition, the vast majority of the inverter demand from the U.S. and Asia will remain, which is that there is no foundation in the American market pressure inverter suppliers.

IHS said that given the market focus shifted, is expected in 2013 Inverter suppliers (in particular Sungrow, Omron, Tabuchi and TMEIC kind of Chinese and Japanese companies) market share increased significantly, by contrast, the market share of European suppliers continued to cut .