Sigenergy aims to conquer the commercial photovoltaic storage market with artificial intelligence – pv magazine International

August 7, 2024 Michal Fuhs

When did you found Sigenergy and what was your goal?

Samuel Zhang:Sigenergy was founded in 2022. We observed the trends in the renewable energy sector and discovered that many solutions were not particularly innovative. We wanted to create something new and start a new era in this industry.

What is your experience and that of the company?

The company was founded by Tony Xu. He was the president of the Smart PV division for over ten years and the president of the AI ​​division for three years in one of the world’s leading technology companies. As the founder and CEO, Tony took the team from zero to the position of the leader in the inverter and energy storage industry in the world. I myself have over 17 years of experience in PV and energy storage systems and developed the first string inverter in the same company. Now we want to write a new success story. Sigenergy has grown rapidly in just two years, and our team of over 600 employees has successfully introduced one of the most innovative product portfolios to the market in this short period.

What is the biggest innovation you want to bring to market?

The most innovative point is the integration of artificial intelligence. We are one of the first companies to integrate DC fast charging into the home energy system. The optional DC charging module with a charging power of 25 kW provides up to 130 kilometers of range in one hour of fast charging, more than three times more than a standard wall box. Another innovative point is that we are “vehicle-to-grid ready”.

How do you use artificial intelligence in your systems?

First, we have integrated ChatGPT into our app and cloud platform. We provide specific training for the ChatGPT model and integrate it into the user interface for our customers to help them and answer their questions faster.
For example, they can ask the app directly how to install a Sigenergy system. We also use AI for energy management. This is much more complicated than it used to be. In the past, we only dealt with photovoltaic systems. Now we have to consider energy storage, charging electric vehicles and heat pumps, as well as complex regulatory requirements such as those related to Section 14a of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG).
We have integrated AI technology into energy management and dispatch. In projects in the UK, we conducted on-site comparisons: first we did not activate the AI-based energy management function, then we activated it. This enabled us to save 22 percent of our electricity consumption. Of course, dynamic electricity tariffs also play a role here. We already support them in many European countries, including Germany. For example, we use AI to forecast the weather based on historical data and predict the usage habits of residents to optimize energy consumption.
What is the status of bi-directional charging in China?

The electric vehicle industry in China is developing rapidly. Most of the car manufacturers in China are considering vehicle-to-grid technology. For example, you can see the vehicle of the car manufacturer Nio in our booth. With SigenStor, Nio’s car can be a huge backup power source for powering the household loads in China. We believe that vehicle-to-grid technology will develop not only in China but also all over the world.

Do you also plan to ensure compatibility with European vehicle manufacturers?

Up until now, we have considered Chinese car manufacturers because it was faster and easier for us, and the tests could be carried out more quickly. In the future, we will also cooperate with Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, for example. We are already conducting joint tests with some European manufacturers and are trying to establish contact with all the well-known manufacturers.

Companies like Huawei and Sungrow are also very strong in the commercial and terrestrial market with their string inverters. Will Sigenergy also enter these segments?

Our current product line already covers the residential and commercial sectors. Projects up to 3 MWh have already been installed and demonstrate the practicality of our world’s first 5-in-1 energy storage system for the commercial sector. Here we have integrated the Power Conversion System (PCS), battery module, DC wallbox, solar inverter and energy management system. We now offer a further developed product portfolio specifically for large-scale solar systems and are also setting milestones here. The hybrid inverters have an output power of 50 to 110 kilowatts and are one of the first manufacturers to use the new and innovative silicon carbide (SiC) technology for semiconductor components. This leads to a weight reduction of around 20% and a volume reduction of around 40%, resulting in significant savings throughout the supply and installation chain. Improved thermal management ultimately also leads to increased efficiency. In addition, the inverter offers an extended arc protection function. It supports longer than usual strings, with a detection range of up to 500 meters. By the way, artificial intelligence is also used for this purpose. These inverters can be used as pure solar inverters in large systems and parks and can be combined with battery modules if required. The new battery modules have a usable capacity of 10.75 kilowatt-hours. Customers can connect 4 to 21 battery modules in series and connect them to the hybrid inverter.

How is Sigenergy financed?

We have some top investors, both from Asia and the U.S. The largest investor is Hillhouse Capital, one of the largest renewable financiers in Asia, which has also invested in Longi and CATL, for example.
The estimated value of our enterprise from the last rounds of financing is now approximately USD 600 million.