Fronius vs GoodWe inverters - which one is right for you?
Fronius and GoodWe both make good inverters. Which inverter fits your budget and needs?
Fronius and GoodWe both make good inverters. Which inverter fits your budget and needs?
A solar inverter accounts for 15-20% of the total cost of a solar system. In terms of price, GoodWe is much cheaper than Fronius. Any decent Fronius inverter will be approx. $800-$1000 more expensive than the GoodWe inverter. However, the lifespan of GoodWe inverters is generally less than the Fronius inverters. And Fronius inverters may offer good value for money in the long run.
Many people opt for solar inverters based on cost, reliability, and efficiency. However, there is a lot more that you should consider when buying a solar inverter, including:
If you’re reading this article, you are planning to install a solar system or replace your existing solar inverter & you’re confused about which one suits your needs the best. So this article is a brief look at the differences.
Gunter Fronius founded the Fronius in 1945 in Austria. Earlier, the company manufactures welding devices, lead-acid batteries, and lithium-ion batteries. Later, the company expanded its portfolio to include solar inverters in 1992.
Fronius launched its first solar inverter – The Fronius Sunrise – in 1995. It helped the company to evolve as the leading inverter manufacturers in the world. Since then, Fronius is serving the Australian market with its top-notch solar inverters. Today, Fronius covers a wide power range of 3.0kW to 27.0kW.
Fronius has achieved various certifications for quality, sustainability, and workplace safety. It includes ISO 144001, ISO 45001, and ISO 9001. At present, more than 5400 experts are working in more than 20 branches of the company all around the world.
GoodWe is a leading company that focuses on research. They are known for manufacturing photovoltaic inverters and energy storage solutions. The company has been supplying the Australian market with solar inverters since 2010.
GoodWe solar inverters range from 0.7kW to 250kW. They are ideal for residential and commercial purposes. In 2012, the company ranked as the world’s top 10 solar inverter manufacturer. Recently, in 2020, GoodWe achieved the prestigious VDE-AR-N5110-2018 compliance certificate.
At present, GoodWe has more than 2000 employees who are working in 15 different countries.
Fronius has four different series of solar inverters. The Galvo and Primo range of solar inverters are single-phase. However, the Galvo inverters make use of a transformer, and the Primo inverters are transformerless. The last two series of Fronius are the Symo and Eco that are three-phased transformerless solar inverters.
The Fronius Galvo solar inverters are less than 3kW, whereas the Fronius Primo ranges between 3.0kW to 8.2kW. A Fronius 5kW and 8.2kW Primo solar system are ideal for a 6.6kW and 11kW system, respectively.
Those who need a solar system for commercial purposes should choose the Fronius three-phase solar inverters. The range of Symo is 3.0 to 20.0kW. A Symo 10.0kW and 15kW are ideal for 13.3kW and 20kW systems, respectively.
The last type of Fronius solar inverter is Fronius Eco. It is available in only 2-sizes – 25.0kW and 27.0kW. This inverter is ideal for those who need a system over 30kW on a single inverter.
GoodWe has eight different series of solar inverters that are designed to lower the electricity cost. It includes the XS series, SDT G2 series, DNS series, Smart DT series, SMT series, MT Series, DSS series, and ET series.
The XS series and DNS series are single-phase inverters, whereas the SDT G2 series and Smart DT series are small-size three-phase systems. However, all the 4-series are ideal for residential applications where the subsidies are provided, but the electricity cost is high.
The SMT series and MT series are ideal for large commercial products. The DSS series and ET series inverters are used in the countries where subsidies are not provided, and the electricity cost is also high.
The capacity of GoodWe XS series inverters has a single MPPT. The power range of these inverters varies from 0.7kW to 3.0kW. The GoodWe DNS series inverters feature a dual MPPT and have a power range between 3.0kW to 6.0kW.
The GoodWe SDT G2 series inverters have dual MPPT. The power range of SDT G2 inverters is 4.0kW to 10.0.kW. The GoodWe SDT series inverters feature a dual MPPT and cover a wide power range of 12kW, 15kW, 17kW, and 20kW. The GoodWe GW20KN-DT solar inverter generates a maximum efficiency of 98.6%.
The SMT series inverters are three-phase solar inverters. These inverters feature 3-MPPT routes for a particular environment. The power capacity of the SMT inverters is 25kW to 36kW. The GoodWe MT series inverters are widely used for medium to large scale commercial rooftops. These inverters have four MPPT. The power capacity of the GoodWe MT series is 50kW to 80kW.
Compatible with double-glass bifacial modules, the DSS series is the first single-phase on-grid inverter. The power capacity of DSS series inverters is between 3.6kW to 5.0kW. Covering a power range of 5kW, 8kW, and 10kW, the GoodWe ET series solar inverters are a three-phase energy storage inverter. These inverters have 2 MPPT systems.
The residential efficiency of Fronius inverters is up to 95 to 98%. On the other hand, the GoodWe inverters generate up to 96.5 to 98.3% efficiency. The Fronius Galvo series inverters can produce efficiency of 95.8 to 96%. The Galvo 1.5kW has the least efficiency of 95.8%. On the other hand, Fronius Primo and Symo have an efficiency of 97.9% and 98%, respectively. The Fronius Eco series has the highest efficiency of 98.3%.
The NS series 1kW solar inverter is the least efficient inverter by GoodWe, which still generates 96.5% max efficiency. Apart from this, all the GoodWe inverters have at least 97% efficiency. However, if you need a more efficient inverter, go with the GoodWe SDT series 10kW, 3-phase, dual MPTT string inverter. This inverter has the highest efficiency of 98.3%.
Usually, the lifespan of a solar inverter is 10-20 years. Any good quality solar inverter must last for at least 10-years. So, look for warranty options to ensure the long life of your inverter. All the manufacturer offers a limited warranty on their products for 2 to 5 years. But if you want your solar inverter to last long, look for warranty extending options.
GoodWe offers a limited warranty of 5-years on all its solar inverters. GoodWe offers a wide range of warranty extension options. You can extend the warranty up to 7, 10, 5+2, 5+5, 5+7, 5+10, 5+15, 5+20 years. Make sure you buy the inverter through an authorized distribution channel.
Talking about Fronius, they offer a warranty for 2-years on all products. You can extend the warranty up to 7-years at no extra cost. All you need to do is register your solar inverter online at FroniusSolar.web. If you want more security, you can buy an additional warranty for up to 20 years.
Usually, solar inverters employ heat sink technology to maintain inverter temperature. However, Fronius inverters use a fan to cool down the system. As a result, the Fronius inverters tend to produce noise up to 55dB during the peak. So, yes, Fronius inverters are a little bit noisy.
While the GoodWe inverters have at least 97% efficiency, several GoodWe models have more than 98% efficiency. Apart from this, GoodWe provides a wide range of warranty options, enabling you to enhance the lifespan of your solar inverter. Hence, yes, GoodWe inverters are worthy in the long run.
A Fronius solar inverter can cater to your needs for a long time. Due to its proven track record, many people choose the Fronius inverter as a part of their solar system. However, its cost may vary with power capacity. A 3kW Fronius inverter may cost around $1990 & a 10kW inverter is around $3690.
I hope that this article has helped you understand the difference between Fronius and GoodWe solar inverters. While Fronius and GoodWe, both are the top manufacturers of solar inverters – which one suits your needs the best, it all depends on the user choice.
Here is a complete summary of the difference between Fronius and GoodWe to help you make an informed decision.
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