Intersolar 2024: Experience the future of the energy transition

The PV market experienced difficulties in the 12 months following the last Intersolar event. Following two boom years driven by the polycrisis and rising prices for fossil fuels, the market has somewhat cooled down since the end of 2023. However, exhibitors and visitors at Intersolar 2024 agreed that the future belongs to photovoltaics. Here are the most important current trends:

The name "The Smarter E Europe" says it all. Manufacturers are focusing on intelligent networking and energy management systems (EMS) that significantly increase the self-consumption rate of households. Whether it is the in-house developed EMS, new partnerships, or innovative connection systems for grid-friendly control, the PV of the future will be smart.

The second major trend at Intersolar 2024 can be described with the motto "bigger is better": residential systems of 8-12 kWp are becoming obsolete. Manufacturers are now setting new benchmarks with systems boasting 15, 20, or even 25–30 kWp and are introducing corresponding inverters to the market. This incredible evolution is driven by the rapid advancements in cell technology: 420-455 Wp modules are becoming more and more common, allowing operators to generate more solar power from the same roof area. This is also needed, as sector coupling between PV, heat and e-mobility makes it even more worthwhile to supply households with PV energy.

At Intersolar 2024, around 2,000 manufacturers presented their most recent products and unveiled new developments. Here are the highlights of this year's solar exhibition:

"We don't just observe trends, we set them." This is how Alexandra Holub, Head of Marketing DACH at Tier 1 manufacturer AIKO Solar, describes the AIKO mindset. "We are the market leader in technology development," Holub underlines. "20% of our employees work in research and development, which is why we have set up our own research centre in Freiburg. The results speak for themselves:

"Our AIKO Neostar Gen 2 modules impress with their efficiency: thanks to ABC technology, we use the entire surface area of the module because all the contacts are on the back. Added to this is the unique partial shading optimisation". Visitors to the stand were able to shade an AIKO module in various positions and experienced this technology: AIKO shading optimisation reduced power loss from 16.67% to just 1.85%.

AIKO @ Memodo

BYD focuses on Plug & Play: "We continue to develop our modular system for solar batteries. The new generation of our Battery Box Premium HVS storage series is even easier to install thanks to our self-developed plug-in system," says Florian Blaser, General Manager of EFT-Systems. E-mobility is also a prominent topic for BYD: "We are the market leader in e-mobility systems and ready for bi-directional charging.” The technology for this global innovation is ready and will be introduced over time.

BYD @ Memodo

"Energy storage systems are becoming more and more important," says Emanuel Spahrkäs, Sales Director at Fox ESS Europe. Thanks to the massive increase in the production of battery cells, they are becoming increasingly affordable and suitable not only for the residential sector, but also for industrial applications, as is the case with our Commercial Storage G-Max with a capacity of up to 2 MWh". Fox ESS is focusing on the digital future: "Our new inverters, Fox ESS H3 Pro, offer excellent charge and discharge power up to 50A and are therefore ideal for powerful, modern PV systems." Spahrkäs continues: "Hardware meets software: At the beginning of the year, we completely updated our Fox App. This allows operators to control their systems individually and plan their consumption precisely. The Fox App 2.0 offers many functions of an energy management system - in the long term we will complement this with our own EMS," reveals Spahrkäs. Additionally, Fox ESS is expanding into in a new area: the manufacturer will soon be launching its own heat pumps.

Fox ESS @ Memodo

Despite the market slowdown, Fronius sees a bright and sunny future. "Decreasing feed-in tariffs and limited grid capacities are currently hindering the future of PV, but we are already seeing rising installation numbers and strong customer interest," says Leonhard Peböck, Product Marketing Manager at the renowned Austrian company, commenting on the current market situation.

"Intelligent energy management is becoming increasingly important. The Fronius Energy Cost Assistant uses AI to intelligently control hybrid inverters and PV batteries," reveals Peböck about the major Fronius innovation for Intersolar / The Smarter E Europe 2024. Assistant will be free for Fronius Solar.web Premium users and will be launched in the autumn.

Peböck concludes: "Fronius remains a dominant player, with residential PV as our benchmark. As our daily lives become more electrified and more powerful modules become available, we see a major trend towards larger systems up to 30 kWp. The demand for PV power for heating and e-mobility continues to grow. The new Fronius Verto high-power inverter, with 4 MPPTs and a power output of up to 33.3 kW, is designed to meet this trend.

Fronius @ Memodo

20 years of K2, 20 years of connecting strength: "We are proud to have been offering optimized solutions for installers for two decades," emphasizes Rainer Burkhardt, Technical Sales Manager at K2. "We have stayed true to our principle: the energy transition can only succeed if everyone – from manufacturers and wholesalers to installers – works together at an equal level. We are globally active and firmly rooted in Europe, where 85% of our production is based."

This broad perspective is also reflected in their market approach: "Especially in times of shortage of skilled workers, installers need to work efficiently. Our upgraded version of the original K2 MiniRail is intended to be used with solar optimizers, offering maximum flexibility and making their work easier. In addition, we now offer four façade PV solutions on any material. K2 aims to support experts at every stage of their projects:

"The K2 Base Tool has been integrated into the Memodo Shop, thereby saving a lot of time when planning projects. Installers belong on the roof, not behind a desk!".

K2 @ Memodo

Kostal brings order to the multitude of options: "We offer installers maximum flexibility with a streamlined product range," emphasizes Field Marketing Manager Kai Langel. "We achieve this by using Kostal PLENTICOIN, a universal voucher which enables on-site configuration of an inverter to meet specific project requirements. With PLENTICOIN, installers can digitally configure Kostal G1, G2, and the new G3 inverters as hybrid inverters, PV inverters, or battery inverters with just a few clicks, without needing to change the base device. This makes upgrading incredibly easy."

Kostal @ Memodo

Schletter, a well-known brand in the solar industry, is now available in the Memodo online shop. The Upper Bavarian Schletter Group stands for versatile and high-quality mounting systems for every application. "We prioritize the installer’s needs" emphasizes CTO Dr. Cedrik Zapfe. "We offer solutions for every technical challenge as well as support for any concern. Above all, because half-cell modules offer more versatility, we see a wider range of module sizes available on the market. Therefore, our mounting systems, particularly the FixGrid Pro series, are designed for maximum flexibility and offer a wide variety of support profiles, clamp widths for module frames, and construction heights."

Schletter @ Memodo

"We love the sun!" Lisa Spangenberg, Solution Manager at SMA, begins the conversation enthusiastically. "There's no getting around PV." The system technology experts at SMA are optimistic about the future of energy. Spangenberg explains: "The market is stabilizing, and the demand for PV energy remains high." "The Sunny Boy Smart Energy, available since April, combines low starting voltage with 3 MPPTs, making it particularly well-suited for PV applications on challenging roofs."

Additionally, SMA announces a next-gen charging solution, the SMA eCharger for home-based e-mobility, also coming this autumn.

SMA @ Memodo

At Sungrow, sustainability is the way to go: paperless business cards, digital flyers, and a clear commitment to the energy future. "We want everyone to be part of the energy transition," says Michael Solbrig, Senior Partner Success Manager at Sungrow, explaining the company's goals. Sungrow offers solutions for both small and large-scale projects: "Our new microinverters are especially well-suited for balcony power plants, allowing maximum utilization of every ray of sunshine." These compact power packages are available in several sizes, including 450 and 800 W. "This ensures that individual modules can be used precisely without shading affecting the entire string."

Sungrow takes it to the next level with their new generation of high-voltage hybrid inverters. "Larger systems with more power are becoming increasingly common. The fully backup-capable Sungrow hybrid inverter operates in the power class up to 25 kW and can be oversized by up to 200%. This facilitates sector coupling and increases households self-sufficiency," explains Solbrig.

Solbrig remains optimistic about the market situation: "We are currently experiencing a slight market slowdown after the last two boom years, but our installation numbers are as high as in 2023. Additionally, we see an extreme increase in commercial PV in the range of 500–3,000 MW."

Sungrow @ Memodo

At every trade fair, manufacturers showcase awaited innovations and Intersolar 2024 was no exception. Visitors were impressed by new high-output modules, smart energy management systems, powerful inverters for a sector-coupled future, and much more. Under the motto "Experience the Future of the Energy Transition," we welcomed many new customers, familiar partners, and numerous interested parties from the global solar industry at the Memodo booth – it was a celebration for us.

Three days of the fair, over 3,000 exhibitors, countless conversations, tens of thousands of steps for the visitors and one conclusion: The solar industry is here to stay. The future of renewable energy is unstoppable, and we all, whether installers, manufacturers, or Memodo, are working together to achieve it.

So, until next time at The smarter E Europe / Intersolar 2025!