1Sungrow is the #2 largest inverter manufacturer globally with 870+ GW installed and BloombergNEF’s #1 most bankable brand for inverters and energy storage.
2Up to 98.7% efficiency – matching premium European brands like Fronius and SMA, with 10-year standard warranty on both inverters and batteries.
310ms backup transfer – near-instantaneous switchover maintains critical loads during grid outages, with full-house backup on three-phase models.
4AI Dynamic Tariff feature (2025) – automatic optimisation based on European electricity exchange prices for maximum savings.
Sungrow has established itself as one of the most respected inverter brands in the global solar market, consistently ranking as either the first or second largest inverter manufacturer worldwide. Founded in 1997 by Professor Cao Renxian from Hefei University of Technology, the company has grown from a small operation focused on bringing electricity to rural China into a publicly listed global powerhouse with over 870 GW of power electronic converters installed across more than 180 countries.
The company’s approach combines strong research and development investment with competitive pricing, earning recognition as the world’s most bankable inverter brand according to BloombergNEF for several consecutive years. Sungrow operates the world’s largest inverter factory with global annual production capacity of 330 GW, and maintains a dynamic R&D team representing approximately 40% of the company’s workforce.
This review examines the complete Sungrow product range available in the UK, including the SG string inverter series, the SH hybrid inverters for battery storage, the SBR and SBH battery systems, and the iSolarCloud monitoring platform. We compare Sungrow to alternatives like Solis, GivEnergy, and Fronius.
Why Choose Sungrow?
Why People Choose It
#2 global manufacturer, #1 BloombergNEF bankability
Up to 98.7% efficiency (matches premium brands)
10-year standard warranty on inverters and batteries
10ms fast backup transfer time
AI Dynamic Tariff for automatic price optimisation
Modular SBR/SBH battery design (100% DoD)
520 global service outlets with 3-5 day replacement
40% of workforce dedicated to R&D
Considerations
Sungrow batteries only (no third-party support since 2024)
Internal fan on some models (not fanless)
Chinese manufacturing (some prefer European)
Some firmware update issues reported
Tech support can be script-based initially
No automatic Octopus integration (manual tariff setup)
Higher cost than budget brands like Solis
SBH battery minimum is 20kWh (large for some homes)
SolarLove Rating
Based on performance, value, reliability, and support
8.7
/10
Value for Money9/10
Performance10/10
Reliability9/10
Features9/10
Warranty & Support8/10
UK Availability8/10
Top Pick
SH5.0RS + SBR128 (12.8kWh)
£3,800 – £4,800 (equipment)
5kW hybrid inverter with 97.8% efficiency
10ms backup switchover time
12.8kWh modular SBR battery
100% depth of discharge
10-year warranty on both units
AI Dynamic Tariff ready
200% DC oversizing capability
iSolarCloud comprehensive monitoring
Sungrow at a Glance
Founded1997 (China)
Global Ranking#2 Manufacturer
Global Shipments870+ GW cumulative
Production Capacity330 GW annually
Max Efficiency98.7%
Standard Warranty10 years
BloombergNEF#1 Bankability
Service Network520 outlets worldwide
Company Background
Sungrow was founded in 1997 by Professor Cao Renxian, who was driven by a desire to bring electricity to rural communities in western China. Unlike many inverter manufacturers that evolved from general power electronics companies, Sungrow was purpose-built for renewable energy from the outset. The founder’s academic background in electrical engineering has shaped the company’s strong focus on research and development.
In-house centre approved by SGS, CSA, TUV Rheinland
Global service
520 service outlets worldwide
Certifications
G98/G99 (UK), CE, TUV, IEC 62109, IEC 62443
BloombergNEF ranking
#1 bankability for inverters and energy storage (2024)
SG String Inverter Range
The Sungrow SG series represents the company’s dedicated string inverter range for residential and commercial applications. These units focus purely on DC to AC conversion without battery integration, offering excellent efficiency and reliability at competitive price points. The range includes single-phase models from 2.5kW to 10kW and three-phase models up to 20kW for residential use.
Series
SG-RS (single-phase), SG-RT (three-phase)
Power range
2.5 kW to 20 kW (residential)
MPPT trackers
2 to 3
Maximum efficiency
Up to 98.4%
DC/AC ratio
Up to 1:3 (200% oversizing)
IP rating
IP65
Warranty
10 years (extendable)
SG-RS Single-Phase Specifications
Model
SG3.0RS
SG5.0RS
SG6.0RS
Rated output
3.0 kW
5.0 kW
6.0 kW
Max DC input
6.0 kWp
10.0 kWp
12.0 kWp
MPPT range
40-560 V
40-560 V
40-560 V
MPPT trackers
2
2
2
Max efficiency
98.0%
98.4%
98.4%
Euro efficiency
97.2%
97.6%
97.6%
SH Hybrid Inverter Range
The Sungrow SH hybrid inverter series combines solar PV conversion with battery storage management, offering comprehensive energy management for residential systems. The range includes single-phase models (SH-RS) from 3kW to 10kW and three-phase models (SH-T) from 5kW to 25kW. These inverters are designed exclusively for use with Sungrow’s own SBR and SBH battery systems.
Series
SH-RS (single-phase), SH-RT/SH-T (three-phase)
Power range
3.0 kW to 25.0 kW
MPPT trackers
2 to 3
Maximum efficiency
Up to 97.8%
Battery compatibility
Sungrow SBR and SBH series only
Backup transfer time
10 ms
IP rating
IP65
Warranty
10 years
SH-RS Single-Phase Hybrid Specifications
Model
SH3.0RS
SH5.0RS
SH6.0RS
SH10RS
Rated output
3.0 kW
5.0 kW
6.0 kW
10.0 kW
Max PV input
6.0 kWp
10.0 kWp
12.0 kWp
15.0 kWp
Max charge/discharge
3.0 kW
5.0 kW
6.0 kW
10.0 kW
Battery capacity
6.4-25.6 kWh
9.6-25.6 kWh
9.6-25.6 kWh
9.6-25.6 kWh
Backup output
3.0 kW
5.0 kW
6.0 kW
10.0 kW
Max efficiency
97.0%
97.8%
97.8%
97.8%
SH-T Three-Phase Hybrid Specifications
Model
SH10RT
SH15T
SH20T
SH25T
Rated output
10.0 kW
15.0 kW
20.0 kW
25.0 kW
Max PV input
20.0 kWp
22.5 kWp
30.0 kWp
37.5 kWp
MPPT trackers
2
3
3
3
Max charge current
30 A
50 A
50 A
50 A
Backup output
10.0 kW
15.0 kW
20.0 kW
25.0 kW
Peak backup (SH-T)
–
21.9 kVA
29.2 kVA
36.5 kVA
Operating Modes
Self-consumption
Prioritises solar for home use; excess charges battery then exports
Feed-in priority
Maximises grid export; useful for high export tariffs
Forced charge/discharge
Time-based charging for tariff arbitrage (Octopus Go etc.)
Backup mode
Reserves battery capacity for power outage protection
Peak shaving
Uses battery to reduce peak demand charges
Dynamic Tariff (2025)
AI-optimised charging based on European electricity prices
SBR and SBH Battery Systems
Sungrow offers two high-voltage battery ranges designed exclusively for use with their SH hybrid inverters. The SBR series uses 3.2kWh modules and has been available since 2021, while the newer SBH series launched in 2024 features larger 5.0kWh modules with higher power output for larger installations. Both systems use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, considered the safest and longest-lasting battery chemistry.
Feature
SBR Series
SBH Series
Module capacity
3.2 kWh
5.0 kWh
Cell chemistry
LiFePO4 (LFP)
LiFePO4 (LFP)
Depth of discharge
100%
100%
Min configuration
3 modules (9.6 kWh)
4 modules (20 kWh)
Max configuration
8 modules (25.6 kWh) per stack
8 modules (40 kWh) per stack
Max parallel stacks
4 (up to 100 kWh)
4 (up to 160 kWh)
Module power
1.9 kW continuous
3.5 kW continuous
Cycle life
6,000+ cycles at 90% DoD
6,000+ cycles at 90% DoD
Warranty
10 years / 70% capacity
10 years / 70% capacity
SBR Series Models
Model
Capacity
Modules
Max Power
SBR096
9.6 kWh
3
5.7 kW
SBR128
12.8 kWh
4
7.6 kW
SBR160
16.0 kWh
5
9.5 kW
SBR192
19.2 kWh
6
11.4 kW
SBR224
22.4 kWh
7
13.3 kW
SBR256
25.6 kWh
8
15.2 kW
iSolarCloud Monitoring
iSolarCloud is Sungrow’s comprehensive monitoring platform, available via web browser and mobile app for iOS and Android. The platform serves over one million users across 150+ countries and has received certification for both IEC 62443 industrial security and EU GDPR compliance. Recent updates include the Dynamic Tariff feature for European markets, which uses AI to optimise energy consumption based on real-time electricity pricing.
Platform
Web browser and mobile app (iOS/Android)
Cost
Free
Connection
WiNet dongle (included with most models)
Real-time data
Yes – with 2.5D animated energy flow diagram
Historical data
Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and total
Remote control
Yes (hybrid inverters)
Firmware updates
One-click over-the-air updates
Security certification
IEC 62443; GDPR compliant
Smart IV Curve
Automatic panel fault detection with 90%+ accuracy
Dynamic Tariff Feature (2025)
Exchange integration
Connected to Nord Pool and major European exchanges
24-hour prediction
AI forecasts solar generation and household demand
Automatic optimisation
Executes most cost-effective charging/discharging strategy
Peak avoidance
Prevents unexpected cost spikes from price fluctuations
Battery rangeSBR (9.6-25.6kWh), SBH (20-40kWh per stack)
Max efficiency98.7%
Warranty10 years inverters + batteries
MonitoringiSolarCloud (free, AI Dynamic Tariff)
Market position#2 global manufacturer, most bankable brand
Sungrow represents one of the strongest choices in the UK inverter market for homeowners seeking a balance between quality, efficiency, and value. As the second-largest inverter manufacturer globally and the most bankable brand according to BloombergNEF, Sungrow offers the reassurance of scale and financial stability that ensures long-term support availability. The company’s 10-year standard warranty, matching premium European brands, demonstrates confidence in product reliability.
The main consideration with Sungrow is the requirement to use their proprietary SBR or SBH batteries with hybrid inverters. While this limits flexibility compared to brands like Solis that support multiple battery manufacturers, the Sungrow battery systems themselves offer excellent value with modular design, 100% depth of discharge, and strong warranty terms. For those planning a complete new installation rather than retrofitting existing equipment, this integration can actually be an advantage.
The iSolarCloud monitoring platform has evolved into one of the most comprehensive in the industry, with security certifications and the new AI-powered Dynamic Tariff feature for European markets. For UK homeowners seeking a reliable, efficient system backed by a global leader with strong warranty support, Sungrow represents an excellent choice.
