SMA Opens Gigawatt Factory, Strengthens Large-Scale Systems Segment — More Than 60 GW of Production Capacity

Niestetal, Germany — SMA Solar Technology AG has officially opened its new Gigawatt Factory at its headquarters in Niestetal, near Kassel. At full capacity, the plant can produce more than 60 GW annually and is geared toward technologies for large-scale photovoltaic, storage and hybrid energy systems.

The new facility expands the production base of SMA's Large Scale & Project Solutions division, which has become by far the company's largest business segment. The division generated close to EUR 1.27 billion in revenue in 2025, accounting for around 84 percent of SMA's total sales.

EUR 80 Million Investment in New Large-Scale Manufacturing Facility

The Gigawatt Factory sits on a 46,000-square-meter site and includes 20,500 square meters of floor space. Of the roughly EUR 80 million investment volume, about EUR 50 million covers lease payments over a 20-year term, while around EUR 30 million represents investment in production-specific infrastructure and equipment, according to SMA.

The plant produces central inverters, battery storage solutions and energy management systems, among other products. These systems are designed for large-scale PV and storage projects, hybrid plants and data centers. The facility is built for scalable production processes, enabling SMA to respond to varying project sizes and rising production volumes.

“With the Gigawatt Factory, we are investing in the industrial capabilities needed to support the energy systems of the future,” said Dr. Kaveh Rouhi, CFO of SMA Solar Technology AG. According to Rouhi, the new facility strengthens the company's ability to deliver energy infrastructure worldwide.

Large Scale & Project Solutions Dominates SMA's Business

The investment reflects SMA's growing focus on the large-scale systems business. Alongside Large Scale & Project Solutions, the company's second business unit, Home & Business Solutions, serves residential and commercial applications. In the first half of 2026, Large Scale & Project Solutions generated revenue of EUR 542.1 million, while Home & Business Solutions posted EUR 144.5 million.

The large-scale division recorded a record order intake in the second quarter of 2026, according to the company. Group-wide order backlog rose to EUR 1.75 billion by the end of June, with the majority attributable to Large Scale & Project Solutions. Battery storage projects from SMA subsidiary Altenso also contributed to the order backlog, alongside product sales.

While revenue in the large-scale segment was down 4.7 percent year-on-year in the first half, SMA expects stronger project execution in the second half of 2026, citing a stronger project pipeline, particularly in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

The new Gigawatt Factory adds manufacturing capacity to the business segment that now accounts for the largest share of SMA's revenue and order backlog. Alongside large-scale photovoltaic systems, battery storage, hybrid energy systems and power supply for major consumers such as data centers are becoming increasingly significant for the company.

Source: IWR Online, 22 Sep 2026