Refusol

Refusol (stylized REFUsol) was a German manufacturer of solar inverters headquartered in Metzingen in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Its roots go back to 1965, when the company was founded as Refu Elektronik and specialized in the production of three-phase drive systems. In 2010 the inverter business was separated from Refu Elektronik GmbH and incorporated as REFUsol GmbH. The last consolidated financial statement as RefuSol Holding GmbH, for 2012, reported sales revenue of 161 million euros. Refusol built its reputation on three-phase solar inverters for commercial and utility-scale photovoltaic installations, a segment in which German engineering was highly regarded during the solar boom of the late 2000s and early 2010s. Manufacturing was carried out partly by Refu Elektronik GmbH and partly in Hungary at a Prettl plant. In April 2013 the American power-supply manufacturer Advanced Energy Industries acquired the German inverter maker Refusol. The acquisition gave Advanced Energy a stronger position in the European solar inverter market. However, the solar inverter business proved difficult, and by the end of 2015 Advanced Energy withdrew from the production of solar inverters. Most employees were laid off by the end of 2015. The remaining staff stayed at the Neuhausen site as a service company under the name AEI Power GmbH, which continues to provide product service and support for the inverters formerly produced by Refusol and Advanced Energy. Today Refusol no longer operates as an independent inverter manufacturer; its brand and installed base are served by AEI Power GmbH, while its former parent Advanced Energy remains an American manufacturer of power supplies, notably for thin-film deposition, with Applied Materials as its largest customer.

Refusol's history begins in 1965 with the founding of Refu Elektronik, a company that specialized in the production of three-phase drive systems. Over the following decades Refu Elektronik built expertise in power electronics, which later became the foundation for its solar inverter business. In 2010, the inverter activities were spun off from Refu Elektronik GmbH and incorporated as REFUsol GmbH. The new company focused on solar inverters, particularly three-phase models suited to commercial and utility-scale photovoltaic installations. The last consolidated financial statement as RefuSol Holding GmbH, covering 2012, reported sales revenue of 161 million euros, reflecting the scale the business had reached during the solar boom. Manufacturing was carried out partly by Refu Elektronik GmbH and partly in Hungary at a Prettl plant. In April 2013, the American power-supply manufacturer Advanced Energy Industries acquired the German inverter maker Refusol. The deal was intended to strengthen Advanced Energy's position in the solar inverter market, complementing its existing power electronics business. However, the solar inverter market became increasingly competitive and consolidated, and by the end of 2015 Advanced Energy withdrew from the production of solar inverters. Most employees were laid off by the end of 2015. The remaining staff stayed at the Neuhausen site as a service company under the name AEI Power GmbH, which continues to provide product service and support for the inverters formerly produced by Refusol and Advanced Energy. Advanced Energy itself remains an American manufacturer of power supplies, notably for thin-film deposition, with Applied Materials as its largest customer.

• 2015

  Advanced Energy withdrew from solar inverter production; most employees laid off; remaining staff formed AEI Power GmbH at Neuhausen for service and support.

• 2013

  Advanced Energy acquired the German inverter manufacturer Refusol in April.

• 2012

  Last consolidated financial statement as RefuSol Holding GmbH reported sales revenue of 161 million euros.

• 2010

  REFUsol GmbH spun off from Refu Elektronik GmbH as a dedicated solar inverter company.

• 1965

  Founded as Refu Elektronik, specializing in three-phase drive systems.

German-engineered solar inverters for commercial and utility-scale photovoltaic installations; later absorbed into Advanced Energy's power electronics portfolio.

• Three-phase solar inverters

  Inverters for commercial and utility-scale photovoltaic installations.

• Drive systems (Refu Elektronik era)

  Three-phase drive systems produced before the inverter business was spun off.

1. 1Refusol – Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Advanced Energy – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org