SMA Solar Technology: Solar inverters and equipment for managing photovoltaic plants

SMA supplies solar inverters and plant management equipment, including Sunny Tripower X 60 and the EDMM-20 Data Manager M.

Best for: Commercial PV projects needing inverter conversion, plant-level monitoring and defined grid-management interfaces.
Less suited to: Choosing an older CORE1 for new procurement solely because its documentation remains online.
Deployment: Inverter with integrated System Manager for bounded installations, or a separate Data Manager for larger plant coordination.
Data in: Inverter production, supported meter measurements, digital and analogue signals through the selected management hardware.
Pricing: Project hardware and service pricing were not established in the reviewed sources.

Overview

SMA supplies equipment that converts solar generation and coordinates its use at plant level. Its commercial offering includes inverters with integrated management and separate Data Manager devices for larger or more complex systems. That distinction matters when deciding whether a project needs another controller in addition to the inverter. The Sunny Tripower X 60 operating manual identifies STP 50-80 and STP 60-80 as the relevant models. Meanwhile, SMA now explicitly marks Sunny Tripower CORE1 as no longer marketed and directs readers to X 60. An available manual therefore does not establish current product availability. X 60 manual; CORE1 lifecycle.

Offering

The STP 60-80 is the 60 kW member of the Sunny Tripower X 60 family. Its integrated System Manager offers a way to coordinate a bounded installation, while the EDMM-20 Data Manager M provides separate plant-management hardware with additional interfaces. The EDMM-20 datasheet specifies up to 50 connected devices, with a 2.5 MVA limit for closed-loop control and 7.5 MVA for open-loop control or monitoring. These are different operating envelopes, not competing statements about one universal maximum. CORE1 remains relevant for installed-base research, but belongs in a legacy comparison rather than an unqualified new-equipment shortlist. Inverter datasheet; Data Manager datasheet.

Technology

The X 60 datasheet documents SMA Modbus, SunSpec Modbus and Speedwire, alongside two Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi. SMA’s commercial interface comparison distinguishes this model from the smaller Sunny Tripower X: X 60 has no RS485 interface in that table, whereas the smaller family has a qualified optional interface. The EDMM-20 is a different device, with RS485 connections and additional physical I/O. A network protocol and a physical connector consequently need separate comparison columns. The reviewed documents establish available interfaces, but an exact register selection, permissions and commissioned control behaviour still require the corresponding model and firmware documentation. Interface comparison; EDMM-20 connections.

Markets

For a commercial rooftop, the decision is partly about where plant coordination should reside. An integrated manager can reduce the number of separate components in a smaller installation; a dedicated manager provides a clearer expansion path when more devices and external signals are required. SMA’s FAQ also distinguishes the EDMM-20 allowance of 50 devices from the older EDMM-10 allowance of 30. Meters, sensors, I/O systems and charging points can consume that capacity as well as inverters. A proposed system should therefore count all participating devices rather than quoting only its inverter count. Model-specific capacity and device definitions.

Company

SMA Solar Technology was founded in 1981 and has its headquarters in Niestetal, Germany. Its company material describes a portfolio spanning solar generation, storage, energy management and electromobility, with German manufacturing and engineering facilities. This profile focuses on the commercial inverter and plant-management choices supported by the captured documents rather than treating every SMA product as one integration target. Buyers comparing generations should keep the full type designation, current lifecycle and required management role together. That makes a quotation for an EDMM-20 distinguishable from an older Data Manager carrying a similar commercial name. Company history and scope; generation-specific FAQ.