Solar power company Sungrow has launched its 1+X 2.0 next-generation split modular utility-scale inverter in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. This inverter, which was launched on August 21 at the Sungrow MEA PV and Electricity Storage Solutions (ESS) summit, in Dubai, in United Arab Emirates, is designed to improve flexibility, safety and cost efficiency for large-scale solar projects.

The inverter was originally launched at the Global Renewable Energy Summit 2025 in Hefei, China, in April, whereafter it won the iF Design Award 2025, marking it as the first modular PV inverter ever to receive the award.

Each 1+X 2.0 unit has a capacity of 780 kW, with the capacity to scale up to 9.375 MW by linking 12 in parallel. Its split modular design allows for rapid maintenance with modules that can be swapped within an hour, while AI-driven diagnostics are capable of pinpointing faults in real-time to reduce downtime.

The system has been engineered for reliability under extreme conditions. It can operate without derating at temperatures up to 52 °C, owing to dual-cycle thermal management and IP66 protection.

Speaking at the Dubai launch, Sungrow VP and utility PV inverter business unit president Lee Zhang noted that sub-array temperature gaps can reach up to 8 °C, so the design of the 1+X 2.0 had to incorporate advanced inverter and transformer heat interaction capability. This meant the inclusion of dual-duct cooling, an efficient heat exchanger, with an interreference-free airflow design.

“These products come with IP66 protection, which is the first time in the industry for centralised inverter solution applications. That will definitely meet the EMEA region’s requirements, given the highly dusty, sandy environments here. With global warming, people are also demanding higher temperature ratings,” Sungrow MEA technical director Anoop Koothoor explained.

Safety has also been enhanced with dual direct current arc protection that can isolate faults within 40 ms and terminal overheating protection with real-time monitoring. Moreover, pyro fuse protection enables fault shutdown within 2 ms.

In addition, the 1+X 2.0 is grid-forming capable, enabling it to deliver a fast inertia response within less than 5 ms. This gives it the ability to stabilise both strong and weak grids, even supporting grid formation without diesel backup.

Its ability to integrate with solar-plus-storage systems through both direct and alternating current coupling makes it highly efficient and future-proof, thereby reducing investment costs by more than 10% and improving conversion efficiency by 5%.

The 1+X 2.0 will available commercially in the MEA region in 2026.

POWERTITAN 3.0
Originally launched in Hefei, China, on June 6, Sungrow has also launched its PowerTitan 3.0 large-scale ESS for utility applications in the MEA region.

It is available in modular forms: a 10 ft unit (3.45 MWh), a 20 ft unit (6.9 MWh) and a 30 ft unit (12.5 MWh).

The system is designed for flexible operation durations of two to 12 hours and can function in a range of environments, from -40 °C to 55 °C and at altitudes of up to 5 000 m without performance loss.

“It is an ESS that, for the first time in the industry, introduces liquid cooling technology for battery-based systems. Battery storage now comes with liquid cooling, which helps maintain continuous operation without disturbance, even at 55 °C, without any derating.”

“The product has an inbuilt liquid-cooled silicon carbide power conditioning system (PCS) rated at 450 kW. In PowerTitan 2.0, which was launched in 2023, the in-built string PCS was only 210 kW. So, we have increased the efficiency of the product. The string PCS itself can achieve 99.3% efficiency, compared with 98.6% in the previous generation, along with a round-trip efficiency of 93.5%,” Koothoor explained.

The core of the platform uses a 684 Ah battery cell with an energy density of 448 Wh/ℓ and a cycle life of more than 15 000 cycles. Each alternating current block can deliver 12.5 MW/50 MWh, with a power density exceeding 500 kWh/m². This design reduces land use and cabling requirements compared to earlier systems.

Safety features include insulation layers and thermal separation technology to limit the spread of heat in the event of a fault.

Deployment of the PowerTitan 3.0 ESS has been simplified compared to previous iterations by pre-integration at the factory and automated configuration, which shortens installation timelines.

For operations and maintenance, diagnostic software identifies potential faults with a high level of accuracy and provides repair guidance. The system also includes grid-support functions such as fast response to disturbances, black start capability, and compatibility with both weak and strong grids.

These features allow it to operate effectively in a variety of grid conditions and provide services beyond only energy storage.