We install SolarEdge because the data backs it. Here is the honest technical comparison against Huawei, Fronius, SMA, GoodWe, Growatt and EcoFlow — the same figures we use ourselves to recommend it.
Technical criteria verifiable in each manufacturer's public datasheets and warranty terms.
| Criterion | SolarEdge | Huawei | Fronius | SMA | GoodWe | Growatt | EcoFlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Per-module optimiser (DC) | String + optional opt. | String | String | String | String | Hybrid string |
| Module-level optimisation as standard | Yes, on every panel | Optional | No (third-party opt.) | No (ShadeFix software) | No | No | No |
| Buck-Boost optimiser (raises & lowers voltage) | Yes · exclusive patent | No (Buck only) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Weighted system efficiency | 98.7% | ≤98% | ≤98% | ≤98% | ≤98% | ≤98% | n/a |
| Production under partial shade | +20–30% vs string | Depends on optional opt. | String losses | String losses | String losses | String losses | String losses |
| DC voltage in an emergency | 1V per module (SafeDC™) | Configuration-dependent | Up to 1,000V | Up to 1,000V | Up to 1,000V | Up to 1,000V | Up to 1,000V |
| Panel-by-panel monitoring | Yes, as standard | Only with optimisers | No | No | No | No | No |
| Inverter warranty | 12 years, extendable to 25 | 10 years | 5+5 years | 5+5 years | 5–10 years | 5–10 years | 10–15 years |
| Optimiser warranty | 25 years | 10 years | — | — | — | — | — |
| Manufacturer's core focus | Optimised residential PV | Telecom & multi-sector | Inverters | Inverters | Inverters | Inverters | Consumer portable batteries |
ⓘ Indicative data based on datasheets and warranty terms published by each manufacturer for Europe. “n/a”: the manufacturer does not publish the figure systematically. Comparison compiled by UEP Solar, installer in Mallorca.
Huawei builds good string inverters and offers optional optimisers, but Buck-only (voltage down): the Boost falls to the inverter, below 98% efficiency. SolarEdge optimisation is standard, module-by-module, with the Buck-Boost patent: the inverter always works at 99%.
A solid, respected Austrian manufacturer — but pure string architecture: no per-module electronics, so one shaded panel drags the string and there is no panel-level visibility. Optimising requires third-party hardware, with two warranties and two support lines.
The German premium classic. ShadeFix is MPPT-sweep software: it mitigates shade but cannot remove physical mismatch or give per-module data. On real Mallorca roofs (chimneys, antennas, mixed orientations), SolarEdge's per-panel electronics produce more and diagnose better.
A fair budget option for perfect, shade-free roofs. But with no module-level optimisation or monitoring, every incident needs a site visit, and the 5–10 year standard warranty falls far short of the system's real 25–30 year life.
Volume and aggressive pricing, with improved build quality in recent years. Same structural limit: pure string, no SafeDC, no per-module data. The initial saving dissolves against 10–30% lower annual production on shaded roofs.
A brilliant young brand (2017) in consumer portable batteries that recently entered residential PV. The ecosystem is attractive, but its track record in rooftop inverters, its service network in Spain and its 25-year warranty history are still being built. A roof is not a gadget: decades matter here.
Each comparison has its own page with full analysis and FAQs.
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