TECHNOLOGY

A Comprehensive Guide on Different Types of Solar Inverter

A solar inverter is a vital component of your solar power system. It offers ground fault protection and a solar inverter is also responsible for maintaining the quality and safety of the power coming out of your solar system. Not only do the solar inverters play a key role in generating environmental-friendly energy which is applicable to electrical appliances, but it also helps in monitoring the performance of an entire solar system. 

A solar inverter is an electrical converter which is responsible for changing the direct current output of a solar panel into an alternating current. With a solar inverter, you can store excess energy in batteries or feed it back to the main power grid. 

(Image Source- Luminous)

Broadly a solar inverter can be divided into two types:

  • On-grid solar inverter
  • Off-grid solar inverter
  • On-Grid Solar Inverter

An on-grid solar inverter is also known as the grid-tied inverter. The inverter is the heart of an on-grid solar system. An on-grid solar inverter converts the DC power generated by solar panels into AC power that can be used directly by your home appliances. An on-grid solar inverter without a battery backup is highly efficient and simple to install. It works when the utility is on. When the utility goes down, grid-tied inverters immediately turn off. Most grid-tied inverters are based on the Maximum Power Point Tracking principle- a feature that helps in extracting the maximum possible amount of power from the PV array. 

One of the primary features of a grid-tied solar inverter is that it stops operating in case of a grid failure. As every grid-tied inverter stops functioning during the grid outage, you will not have access to any electricity during this outage as well.  

Benefits of an on-grid solar inverter:

  • An on-grid solar inverter is affordable 
  • It is a reliable and cost-effective storage solution
  • Helps in saving money by exporting excess power generated to grid

Additional benefits of a grid-tied solar inverter include access to backup power from the utility grid. 

  • Off-Grid Solar Inverter

Off-grid solar systems are disconnected from the utility grid, so there is no need for an off-grid inverter to match the utility grid requirements. An off-grid solar inverter is responsible for converting DC power generated by solar panels to AC.

Benefits of an off-grid solar inverter:

  • An off-grid solar inverter is a great choice for remote locations, including villages and rural communities which comes with battery backup.
  • It is independent of the grid.

Trusted brands like Luminous offer some of the best solar solutions through an exclusive range of solar inverters. Their grid-tie inverter- NXi306 comes with an in-built MPPT charge controller that helps in extracting up to 30% more power from the panels. They offer a friendly and adaptable connection to the grid and are an ideal choice for remote monitoring. So, explore their website and invest in a solar charge controller for your solar system today!