German Solar Engineering. At Home in India.

India is blessed with abundant sunshine throughout its varied landmass. However, it is only in recent years that the Government has started recognizing the potential of Solar PV as an important ingredient in the Renewable Energy mix. India has emerged as an important market in a short span, with cumulative Solar Installations crossing 4000 MW in 2015 which is a big jump considering that less than 50 MW had been installed at the end of 2010 in the entire country.

About SMA India

In 1996, one of the first large solar PV plant was powered with SMA central inverter in India. SMA opened its Indian subsidiary at an opportune time in October 2010 when the market was about to expand rapidly. The SMA India team has also grown to spread across 6 locations.

Numerous PV projects have been launched in India in recent years using SMA inverter technology. In addition to grid-tied PV plants of every size, the stand-alone and PV-diesel-hybrid solutions developed by SMA play an important role in providing electricity to remote areas without access to the power distribution grid as well as to industrial enterprises in areas with weak electricity supply. SMA has invested significant resources in building local presence in India where the Company is represented by a highly experienced local sales and service team providing product solutions tailored to the specific market requirements in India as well as the highest level of sales, service and technical support to key strategic customers.

SMA Solar Academy was established in 2011 at the headquarters of SMA India in Mumbai. The Solar Academy is equipped with Central, String and Off-Grid Inverters and has provided Training to a number of enthusiastic Engineers working in Solar PV field. SMA reached 1 GW landmark of cumulative installed capacity in 2015 in India and is having projects installed in harsh climatic conditions across the country.

Opportunities in Indian market

As the Indian economy grows, energy consumption has grown alongside. However, Electricity supply has not been able to keep up with this demand, and there is a continuing energy deficit of about 10%.This power shortage has resulted in blackouts being experienced on a regular basis by a large section of the population, as well as having a negative impact on economic growth.

India is a country of sub-continental dimensions, with great diversity of geography, culture and lifestyle from state to state. However, high annual solar irradiation greater than 1600 kWh/m2 is a common factor which holds true for most States in the Indian Union. Thus, the situation is promising on the supply as well as the demand fronts. As a ‘sunbelt’ country, the scope of solar power generation is enormous, while the energy deficit ensures sustained demand.

India is heavily dependent on import of Petroleum products as well as Coal for its energy needs. Solar Utility Plants can provide an alternative to coal-based Thermal Power Plants, while PV-Diesel Hybrid and Off-Grid solutions can be used to reduce Diesel consumption. There are a large number of villages which are still unconnected to the Grid. Solar PV would be the ideal solution to provide Electricity to these villages in a decentralized manner without the need for exorbitant Capital Expenditure for Grid extension.

Lastly, there is increased awareness amongst the population about the need to move from polluting sources of Energy to more eco-friendly sources like Solar.

Strengths of SMA Inverters for India

  • Latest technological innovations in PV industry

  • Optimized Power Plant Design using aggressive DC overloading

  • Inverters tested in stringent environmental conditions ensuring long-term reliability and better cash flow for the project life

  • Technical features suitable for all PV applications and site specific challenges (like Ground Fault Detection Interruption)

SMA Group – Energy That Changes

As a leading global specialist for photovoltaic system technology, SMA is setting the standards today for the decentralized and renewable energy supply of tomorrow. More than 4,000 SMA employees in 20 countries have devoted themselves to this task. Our innovative solutions for all photovoltaic applications and our unsurpassed service offer our customers worldwide greater independence in meeting their energy needs.

Intelligent System Technology for Greater Independence

People living in industrialized countries are using intelligent SMA technology to transform their houses into smart homes. By integrating storage systems, the electricity generated from rooftop systems can be used in the evening as well. Industrial and commercial companies are installing PV systems, together with our highly efficient inverters, on their buildings to reduce operating costs by producing cost-efficient solar power. In newly industrialized countries with high levels of solar irradiation, large PV power plants equipped with SMA system technology are providing more and more people with rapid access to a sustainable and inexpensive electricity supply – and thereby to greater prosperity and economic development. Industrial consumers who struggle with regular power outages or who have no access to the utility grid at all are no longer dependent on expensive diesel fuel for a reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply. With the SMA Fuel Save Solution, they can turn their diesel generators into photovoltaic diesel hybrid systems, thus saving money and reducing CO2 emissions.

Comprehensive Service for Affordable Operation

Even after the PV systems are commissioned, our customers worldwide can rely on SMA and our comprehensive range of services, which ensure that their photovoltaic systems are operating cost efficiently at all times. For over 40 years, SMA has helped hundreds of thousands of people and companies produce and consume energy independently according to their individual needs. In collaboration with our customers and partners, we are helping the people around the world transition to a self-sufficient and decentralized energy supply.

Facts and Figures

Headquarters: Niestetal, Germany

Global presence: sales and service subsidiaries in 20 countries

Founded: 1981

Number of employees: over 4,000

Sales 2023: 1,904.1 million euros