PV and storage integration is a trend that’s here to stay amid rising market dynamics
Storage supports solar generation systems known for their cheaper generation attribute, with reliability
Industry experts believe scenario-based, platformized storage solutions are now the need of the hour to meet globally diversified requirements
As grid infrastructure challenges and the desire for energy independence takes the centerstage, solar PV systems are increasingly being integrated with energy storage solutions. However, this shift for these technologies – from alternative to mainstream – comes with its own challenges that Chinese solar inverter and energy storage solutions provider Sungrow attempted to address at a high-level dialogue at the recently concluded SNEC 2025 in Shanghai, China.
At the Sungrow hosted ‘PhD Talk’ Evolving Value, the Founder of Zhihui PV, Shujuan Wang, said that the hybrid configuration of PV and storage has become an ‘irreversible industry trend’. Yet, the evolution is taking place in the midst of tightening competition, a shift from policy to market dynamics, and a move from single-tech rivalry to systemic value creation as the major dynamics in this hybrid space.
Nonetheless, the addition of storage lends credibility to solar power systems as the moniker too evolves from cheap power generation to reliable power supply, pointed out Deputy Chief Engineer at Electric Power Planning & Engineering Institute Jixue Wang.
“PV's share in the power system is nearing 30% and will be higher in the future. We must prioritize resolving the conflict between 'security of supply, safety, and low-cost integration’,” explained Wang, who also stressed the need for collaboration between policy, industry and enterprises to achieve a balance between system economics and reliability.
Speaking at the occasion, General Manager of Product Management Center at Sungrow's Energy Storage BU, Dr. Zhuang Cai, emphasized that diverse global energy storage needs demand flexible, scenario-specific solutions, marking a shift toward platform-based approaches in this new era of storage value.
On the product side, the Chief Expert of Sungrow Utility PV Inverter BU, Nian'an Pan, talked about the sophistication expected of inverters as regulatory and industry requirements evolve at a rapid pace.
Inverters, explained Pan, have evolved from what he called a ‘single log bridge’ to a ‘multi-level interchange’, responding to which Sungrow launched its 1+X 2.0 Modular Inverter and the High-Power String Inverter at the show. These are built on the 5A fusion concept, incorporating All-weather economy, All-scenario reliability, All-chain safety, All-lifecycle intelligent O&M, and All-grid-condition grid-forming features. Sungrow also launched its PowerTitan 3.0 AC Smart Energy Storage System Platform.
Sungrow’s Overseas Grid Model Manager Priank Cangy stressed the need to adopt a platformization strategy from a global perspective, as it ‘rewrites the underlying code of energy storage, solidifies the energy foundation, and provides customers with more reliable, safe, intelligent, efficient, and agile services.’
Pan pointed out the rationale behind this evolution: “The rules of the PV industry have changed, upgrading from a 'sprint' focused on competing on single-device costs to an 'all-around competition' vying for overall system value.”
The Director of Gaogong Industrial Research Institute, Xiaobing Gao, believes that the energy storage industry is not a sprint, but a long-term marathon. Here, only those enterprises that possess both sustained value creation capabilities and resilience against cycles can navigate downturns and dominate the future market.
Yet, this value return is not easy to achieve, as VDE’s Global Business Development Director for Renewable Energy, Patrick Zank, argued that its achievement requires deep technical expertise, system-level optimization, and ecosystem-building capabilities.