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Last week, the FCC added foreign-produced inverters to its “Covered List.” Effective immediately, new inverter models cannot be imported. This applies “regardless of the nationality of origin” to all foreign countries. Even those countries that are considered allies. So, a new inverter by German company SMA cannot be imported into the US.
New inverters are claimed to “pose unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States or the safety and security of United States persons.”
Of note, this does not apply to previously approved models. It does not shut down inverters currently in operation. Most people are unlikely to notice an immediate difference. Without exposure to what is new, many may not realize what they are missing. However, it does potentially block many of the developments that I saw at Intersolar Europe. It does block progress.
That progress is important. Increasingly, we do not need dumb inverters. While there is some potential for new imported inverters to get a waiver, regulations essentially lobotomize them. And staying stupid becomes expensive.
