Sungrow and Huawei retain top positions as supply chain resilience and cybersecurity rise on the procurement agenda

Sungrow and Huawei retained the top position in Wood Mackenzie's 2026 Global Solar Inverter Manufacturer Ranking for the second consecutive year, as developers, investors and lenders place increasing emphasis on manufacturing diversification, cybersecurity readiness and long-term operational reliability when selecting inverter suppliers. 

SMA ranked third, while GoodWe and Enphase completed the top five. Hoymiles and APSystems entered the top ten for the first time, reflecting intensifying competition across the global inverter market. 

The latest ranking assessed 23 inverter manufacturers from seven countries, representing approximately 90% of global inverter shipments in 2025. As trade barriers, local content requirements and cybersecurity regulations continue to evolve across key solar markets, procurement teams are placing greater emphasis on aftersales support, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, financial strength and global manufacturing footprints when evaluating suppliers. 

Huawei and Sungrow were the only manufacturers to meet all eight benchmark criteria assessed in the ranking, distinguishing themselves through strong performance across research and development, manufacturing diversification, global service coverage and financial strength. 

“The criteria used to evaluate inverter suppliers continue to expand as solar projects become larger and more complex,” said Timothy Shen, senior research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Buyers are increasingly assessing manufacturers on their ability to provide reliable long-term support, maintain diversified manufacturing footprints and meet growing cybersecurity and compliance requirements alongside traditional performance metrics.”  

2026 Global Solar Inverter Manufacturer Ranking 

 
Source: Wood Mackenzie 

Twenty-one manufacturers achieved Wood Mackenzie's Grade A designation in 2026, reflecting continued improvement in transparency, operational capability and service quality across the global inverter industry. To qualify, manufacturers must satisfy at least five benchmark criteria and achieve a minimum score of 70 out of 100. 

The ranking is based on a weighted scorecard designed to reflect real-world buyer due diligence. Manufacturers were evaluated across eight criteria: after-sales service and warranty (20%), research and development (20%), supply chain stability (20%), ESG and corporate social responsibility performance (15%), capacity utilisation (10%), third-party certifications (5%), financial conditions (5%) and inverter manufacturing experience (5%). 

2026 Grade A inverter manufacturers 

Source: Wood Mackenzie 

Cybersecurity emerged as a growing differentiator in this year's assessment. Utilities, developers and financiers are increasingly incorporating cybersecurity requirements into procurement processes, particularly in North America and Europe, where concerns around grid security, software integrity and regulatory compliance continue to influence supplier selection. 

Operational resilience also became a key area of focus. Five of the top ten ranked manufacturers now maintain the capability to supply all major global markets, while investments in manufacturing capacity outside China continue to accelerate in response to tariffs, local content requirements and evolving trade policies. 

The ranking also highlighted continued progress in sustainability and innovation. Nine of the top ten manufacturers achieved an EcoVadis rating of Silver or higher, while all top ten suppliers invested more than 4% of annual revenue into research and development, supporting advancements in grid-forming capabilities, storage integration and power quality management. 

Chinese manufacturers accounted for 16 of the 23 companies assessed, underscoring the country's continued dominance of the global inverter industry. However, suppliers from Europe, North America and Japan maintained competitive positions through differentiated technologies, established service networks and strong regional market presence. 

“As inverter procurement becomes increasingly sophisticated, manufacturers are competing on a broader set of criteria than ever before,” said Joe Shangraw, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “The suppliers best positioned for future growth will be those that combine technology leadership with global execution, operational resilience and strong customer support capabilities.” 

Wood Mackenzie publishes the Global Solar Inverter Manufacturer Ranking twice annually, with methodologies reviewed regularly to reflect developments across the global photovoltaic industry.