KACO new energy

KACO new energy is a German manufacturer of power converters, best known for solar inverters and monitoring accessories for photovoltaic (PV) systems, as well as power supplies for industrial applications. The company is headquartered in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, and is regarded as one of the pioneers of transformerless inverter technology, which became the industry standard because of its high efficiency. Since 30 April 2019 it has been wholly owned by Siemens AG and operates as "KACO new energy GmbH – A Siemens Company". The modern company was founded in 1999 as KACO Gerätetechnik GmbH, spun out of KACO Elektrotechnik in Heilbronn-Sontheim. Its roots reach back much further: the original KACO was founded in Heilbronn in 1914 by Gustav Bach, Albert Hirth and Gustav Klein, initially making motor seals, shaft sealing rings and electromechanical choppers — the forerunners of today's inverters. In the 1950s KACO was the world's largest supplier of electromechanical choppers and built its first thyristor inverter. In the 1990s the company expanded its development work into photovoltaics, and in its 1999 spin-off year KACO Gerätetechnik brought one of the first transformerless series-production inverters to market. KACO's product range today covers string and hybrid inverters, battery inverters, central inverters and systems for large solar power plants, inverters for commercial and industrial PV and battery storage, inverters for residential PV and storage, PV monitoring and accessories, and solutions such as zero-export and dynamic power control, anti-PID solutions, PV-diesel applications and virtual central system solutions. It also produces inverters for combined heat and power plants and fuel cells, and power supplies for rail vehicles and industry. Between 1999 and about 2009 KACO shipped inverters with a cumulative capacity of 3 gigawatts and in 2009 was the second-largest manufacturer by inverter power sold. After relocating from Heilbronn to Neckarsulm in 2003, KACO built several plants there and in nearby Erlenbach, and in 2010 began expanding manufacturing capacity toward 10 gigawatts, splitting production between Germany for Europe, the USA for the Americas and Korea for Asia, with subsidiaries founded in France and Italy. New plants in Neckarsulm and London, Ontario (Canada) started production in 2011, as did production in San Jose, California. The company has operated through numerous subsidiaries and branches worldwide, including in the USA, South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Africa, France, Italy, the UK, Canada, India and Jordan. In 2016 it announced the reduction of 80 jobs at Neckarsulm, and in 2019 Siemens acquired 100 percent of the shares. KACO continues to market itself as a solar-technology pioneer on the path to decarbonization, with recent news including the listing of its inverters in Slovenia and coverage of Germany's Solarspitzengesetz.

KACO's history begins in 1914, when Gustav Bach, Albert Hirth and Gustav Klein founded the company in Heilbronn, Germany. It initially focused on manufacturing motor seals, shaft sealing rings and electromechanical choppers — the forerunners of modern inverters. In the 1950s KACO became the world's largest manufacturer of electromechanical choppers and produced its first thyristor inverter. In 1970 the later KACO Elektrotechnik emerged from this business. The modern solar-focused company was founded in 1999 as KACO Gerätetechnik GmbH, spun out of KACO Elektrotechnik, which was based in the Sontheim district of Heilbronn and was closed shortly afterwards. In that same year KACO Gerätetechnik brought one of the first transformerless series-production inverters to market, helping to establish transformerless technology as the industry standard thanks to its high efficiency. In 2003 the company moved its headquarters from Heilbronn to Neckarsulm, where three new plants were built within four years. In 2009 it was renamed KACO new energy GmbH and moved into a new headquarters. Between 1999 and about 2009 KACO shipped inverters with a cumulative capacity of 3 gigawatts, and in 2009 it was the second-largest manufacturer by inverter power sold. In 2010 KACO began expanding its manufacturing capacity toward 10 gigawatts, splitting production sites between Germany for the European market, the USA for the American continent and Korea for Asia, and founded subsidiaries in France and Italy. In 2011 new plants in Neckarsulm and London, Ontario (Canada) started production, as did production in San Jose, California (USA). At its home base in Neckarsulm and neighboring Erlenbach, KACO operated five plants as of July 2011: Plant 1 housed the corporate headquarters and central inverter production; Plant 2 served as a service center; Plant 3 produced all string inverters; and Plant 4 developed and produced components for the rail and automotive sectors. Research and development was distributed across locations, with teams in Neckarsulm and Kassel developing all devices below 100 kilowatts and a team in Seongnam, South Korea, developing inverters above that power class. The company operated through 12 subsidiaries in the USA, South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Africa, France and Italy, and was also represented through branches in the UK, Canada, India and Jordan. In 2016 KACO announced the reduction of 80 jobs at its Neckarsulm site. With effect from 30 April 2019, Siemens AG acquired 100 percent of the shares, and the company has since operated as "KACO new energy GmbH – A Siemens Company" with headquarters in Neckarsulm. KACO continues to position itself as a pioneer of solar technology on the path to decarbonization, offering inverters and systems for large solar power plants, commercial and industrial PV and battery storage, and residential PV and storage, along with solutions such as zero-export and dynamic power control, anti-PID, PV-diesel and virtual central systems. It also supports social projects, for example the charitable foundation Große Hilfe für kleine Helden.

• 2025

  KACO inverters officially listed in Slovenia by transmission system operator ELES; company publishes guidance on Germany's Solarspitzengesetz.

• 2019

  Siemens AG acquires 100 percent of the shares effective 30 April 2019; company operates as "KACO new energy GmbH – A Siemens Company".

• 2016

  Announcement of 80 job cuts at the Neckarsulm site.

• 2011

  New plants in Neckarsulm and London, Ontario (Canada) start production; production also starts in San Jose, California (USA).

• 2010

  Manufacturing capacity expansion toward 10 GW begins; production split between Germany, USA and Korea; subsidiaries founded in France and Italy.

• 2009

  Renamed KACO new energy GmbH and moved into a new headquarters; second-largest inverter manufacturer by power sold.

• 2003

  Headquarters moved from Heilbronn to Neckarsulm; three new plants built within four years.

• 1999

  KACO Gerätetechnik GmbH founded as a spin-off from KACO Elektrotechnik; brings one of the first transformerless series-production inverters to market.

• 1970

  The later KACO Elektrotechnik emerges from the original KACO business.

• 1950

  KACO becomes the world's largest manufacturer of electromechanical choppers and produces its first thyristor inverter.

• 1914

  KACO founded in Heilbronn by Gustav Bach, Albert Hirth and Gustav Klein, making motor seals, shaft sealing rings and electromechanical choppers.

Pioneer of transformerless solar inverter technology and a German engineering brand for PV and battery-storage power conversion, now backed by Siemens.

• String and hybrid inverters

  Inverters for photovoltaic and battery-storage systems in commercial, industrial and residential applications.

• Battery inverters

  Inverters dedicated to battery storage systems.

• Central inverters and systems for large solar power plants

  Inverters and system solutions for utility-scale photovoltaic power plants.

• PV monitoring and accessories

  Monitoring hardware and accessories for photovoltaic installations.

• Inverters for combined heat and power plants and fuel cells

  Power converters for CHP and fuel-cell applications.

• Power supplies for rail vehicles and industry

  Power supply units for rail vehicles and industrial sectors.

• PV-diesel solutions

  Hybrid solutions combining photovoltaic generation with diesel power.

• Zero-export and dynamic power control

  Solutions for controlling grid feed-in and dynamic power output.

• Anti-PID solution

  Solution to counter potential-induced degradation in PV modules.

• Virtual central system solution

  System solution that coordinates distributed inverters as a virtual central plant.

1. 1Wechselrichter für Photovoltaik + Batteriespeicher | Kaco New Energykaco-newenergy.com
2. 2Pionier der Solartechnik | Kaco New Energykaco-newenergy.com
3. 3KACO new energy – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4KACO new energy – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org