Types of Solar Inverters
While solar inverters are the most common type of inverter used for residential solar, they are just one of several inverter options available for solar and energy storage systems. Below, we describe the four main inverter types used for on-grid and off-grid solar systems. Learn more about the different types of solar systems and how they work.
This review focuses on common ‘string’ solar inverters, the most popular type. These inverters use one or more strings (groups) of solar panels connected in series. String solar inverters are the most common type used in the UK, Europe, Australia, and Asia. They are also growing in popularity in the US, where microinverters are extremely popular.
Advancements in battery and inverter technology have led major string inverter manufacturers, such as Fronius and Huawei, to incorporate battery integration as a standard feature, effectively transforming their string inverters into hybrid inverters. However, this functionality remains disabled by default until an activation fee is paid to unlock the energy storage capabilities.
Hybrid inverters, sometimes called battery-ready inverters, are similar to string solar inverters but enable the direct connection of a battery storage system to allow greater self-sufficiency using solar. Most hybrid inverters provide basic backup power during a blackout but are generally not designed for continuous off-grid use. While more expensive, hybrid inverters are becoming more cost-competitive against solar inverters as hybrid inverter technology advances and batteries become cheaper and more appealing. For more information, see our review of the best hybrid inverters.
Off-grid power systems generally require more powerful battery inverters with built-in chargers, which can be set up as either AC or DC-coupled solar systems. Modern, off-grid inverters, or multi-mode inverters, can also be used to build advanced hybrid grid-tie energy storage systems. Many off-grid systems also use solar charge controllers (MPPTs), which are DC-coupled between the solar panels and battery, to regulate the charging process and ensure the battery is not over-charged.
