Sungrow Unveils Integrated DC-Coupled Solution for European Large-Scale Solar-Plus-Storage

As Europe's energy transition gains momentum, solar-plus-storage is becoming a standard feature for large-scale photovoltaic plants. Industry analysis from BloombergNEF forecasts the continent's cumulative PV-plus-storage capacity to surpass 15 GWh by 2029. Despite this growth, challenges including elevated costs, efficiency ceilings, and solar curtailment persist, capping the financial returns of these hybrid systems.

Addressing these barriers, Sungrow showcased its Single-Platform Design for a DC-Coupled PV-ESS Solution at a recent industry summit. The integrated offering combines the 1+X modular inverter with a dedicated storage port, the PowerTitan 3.0 energy storage system featuring a built-in DC/DC converter, and a specialized PV-ESS Synergy Management System. This unified architecture is engineered to raise operational efficiency, allow flexible energy dispatch, and improve grid compliance for major European solar initiatives.

Seamless Integration for Higher Performance
The foundation of the system is its single-platform design, which facilitates cohesive PV-storage coordination. It enables extended discharge durations up to 8 hours, supports a high DC/AC ratio of 2.0, and allows for 100% utilization of the storage system's power. This setup optimizes energy arbitrage between peak and off-peak pricing windows, helping to provide a steady 24/7 renewable power supply. The holistic approach targets comprehensive gains in system cost, energy conversion, and power regulation to bolster project value.

Lower Lifetime Costs, Improved Efficiency
The DC-coupled configuration delivers significant capital expenditure savings by removing the need for a separate Power Conversion System (PCS) and Medium Voltage Station (MVS), while drastically cutting AC cabling requirements. For a standard 100 MW PV with 200 MWh storage installation, this can reduce CAPEX by up to €1 million. Concurrently, the solution boosts overall energy conversion efficiency by an estimated 3–5%, strengthening long-term project economics.

Moving beyond hardware, the platform streamlines the entire project lifecycle. It accelerates installation and commissioning for quicker grid connection. During operation, adaptive control software sustains peak performance, backed by Sungrow's localized European service and one-stop aftersales. These factors collectively drive high operational efficiency and aim to maximize asset returns.

Intelligent, Grid-Friendly Power Management
An automated smart dispatch function stores surplus solar generation during peak output or grid curtailment. The system charges rapidly when generation is high and energy prices are low, then discharges during periods of peak demand. This intelligent cycle reduces curtailment losses, stabilizes PV output fluctuations, and supplies grid-friendly power to ensure reliable around-the-clock energy delivery.

Advanced Grid-Forming for Resilient Operation
Engineered for Europe's increasingly complex and often weak grid conditions, the solution incorporates advanced grid-forming technology. This ensures stable operation across all grid scenarios, providing rapid inertia support that cuts frequency response time to under 5 milliseconds for swift grid stabilization.

With a robust 1.8 times transient overvoltage tolerance and real-time monitoring of grid strength metrics like the Short-Circuit Ratio (SCR), the system can switch reliably between grid-following and grid-forming modes. This ensures consistent performance during dynamic shifts from weak to strong grid conditions.

Sungrow's Single-Platform DC-coupled system is already proven in over 90 global projects, including a 100 MW/220 MWh system in Australia and a 181 MW/638 MWh project in Chile. The launch of the PowerTitan 3.0 and this integrated solution in Europe marks the company's continued push for innovation, aiming to accelerate the energy transition by unlocking greater value through more efficient and reliable PV-plus-storage systems.

Edit by paco

Last Update:2026-01-30 10:23:46