Growatt Solar Inverters- Independent Review

Overview of Growatt – Company History

Growatt New Energy was founded in 2010, they are a manufacturer of residential, commercial, and large-scale utility solar inverters. Growatt’s  headquarters are located in Shenzhen, China, with their main manufacturing facility in Huizhou with a capacity of 20GW of inverter output per year.

A year after the company was founded they established a subsidiary in Australia. The company has since grown a network of 23 sales and support offices around the world. Growatt’s Australian office is located in Silverwater, NSW.

The company is privately owned and we were not able to find any information on the owners of the company. Growatt does not publish any financial or sales information about the company.

A Brief Rundown on Solar Inverters

The solar inverter is what turns the solar energy generated by solar panels into the useable electricity that powers households. The energy generated by the solar panels is in the form of direct current (DC) energy. DC electricity only flows in one direction and is the type of electricity used to power phones and laptops. The role of the solar inverter in a photovoltaic (PV) system is to convert the DC energy into the useable AC electricity that powers households.

The inverters are also connected to the grid, this is important as it needs to be able to handle the flow of AC electricity. As any surplus solar generated electricity is fed back into the grid. There are four types of solar inverters, these being string inverters, hybrid inverters, micro inverters, and power optimisers.

What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) with support from DNV GL has been independently testing Solar Panel reliability since 2014, and for the first time in 2019 have tested solar inverters. It is a voluntary test which manufacturers have to pay to be a part of.  The solar panel testing is considered internationally as an excellent indication of solar panel quality. It’s expected that the inverter testing will have the same recognition. To read the full PVEL scorecard click here.

 Growatt didn’t rank in any of these tests. However, as an internationally renowned inverter manufacturer, it is likely that they didn’t pay to participate in the testing.

 Growatt Inverters – Point of Difference

The Growatt CEC approved Inverter range differs from other inverter manufacturers by offering different types and configurations in the typical power range. Growatt manufactures Single Phase Inverters with one or two MMPTs (Maximum Power Point Tracking). Three Phase Inverters with dual MMPTs. And a Single Phase Hybrid Inverter with 2 MMPTs and a low voltage battery. All of the CEC approved Growatt Inverter range are Transformerless Inverters, which contributes to the high efficiency.

The Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-X/XH is a 2.5-6kW Single Phase Inverter with 2 MPTTs. This inverter is showcasing the developments of inverter technology, function, and appearance. This inverter ranges from 98.2% to 98.4% efficiency, making it one of the most efficient residential inverters on the market. This in combination with the Touch key, OLED display and sleek modern design is setting a new standard for inverters.

Growatt Inverter Efficiency

Residential inverter efficiency standards are generally 95 to 98 percent. Growatt inverters meet or exceed these standards, with the CEC approved inverters ranging from 97.2-98.4% efficiency. The Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-XH for example has up to 98.4% efficiency. This situates Growatt as one of the top inverter manufacturers in the industry for residential inverter efficiency.

Growatt Inverter Costs

The below prices are an indicative guide of the wholesale costs of Growatt Inverters. These prices are only available to solar installation companies, not to end customers.

Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system, so often it is worth investing in a high quality inverter given this will have a large impact on the efficiency and performance of your Solar Power project.

Growatt Inverter Warranty

Growatt’s warranty document is perhaps one of the shortest documents across the inverter market with only one page of T&Cs. They offer a standard warranty of 5 years, however this can be extended to 10 years for free if the product is registered online via Growatt’s website. This is similar to some other companies offers in the market and offers consumers a good length of protection.

The warranty document states that in the event of the device becoming defective Growatt will repair the product or replace with a device of equivalent value. There is no further detail to cover whether there are any exclusions (like labour and freight).

Growatt also have a list of scenarios where warranty would be voided, like improper installations and reselling of devices. Most of these exclusions seem reasonable and comparable with other warranty documents Solar Choice has examined.

The only concerning part is that a lot of the terms are quite vague and in the document it states “please note Growatt reserve the ultimate explanation right on this warranty card”.

For warranty claims, your best off going through your installer, otherwise you could contact Growatt on 02 8065 1298 or 1800 476 928.

A Full Range of Growatt Inverters Available in Australia 

The majority of Growatt’s Inverters are approved by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program. Important to note that not all kW on certain inverters are approved.

The following Growatt Inverters are CEC approved:

Growatt 750-3000-S 1-2kW & 3kW

Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-XH 2.5-6kW

Growatt MIN 2500-6000TL-X 2.5-6kW

Growatt 3000-6000TL3-S 3-6kW

Growatt 7000-11000TL3-S 7-11kW

Growatt SPH 3000-6000 3-6kW

Growatt Solar Inverters Pros and Cons

Pros

• Growatt offer some of the lowest priced solar inverters on the market which cater well to buyers on a budget
• The maximum efficiency rating of Growatt’s inverter range compares well against other options in the market with most ratings between 97.2% and 98.4%

Cons

• As no financial information is released it is difficult to form any opinion on the financial health and longevity of the company
• Minimal warranty document leaves space for confusion and for Growatt to avoid claims

Growatt Inverter Specifications

Growatt Commercial Solar Project 

In 2016 a 1.5MW system was installed in the Netherlands for the Dutch utility company Liander. The parking lot solar plant at the time was the largest solar system installation in the Netherlands. The system utilised 70 Growatt 20kUE inverters, which was the first generation three phase inverter manufactured by Growatt.

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Jeff Sykes

CEO at Solar Choice

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