A solar power inverter performs many functions, but perhaps the most important is to transform DC electricity from your PV panels into AC energy for use in household appliances. An inverter also monitors solar power functions and alerts homeowners of problems. Most importantly, advanced inverters can continue operating during a power disruption (brownout).

Inverters for Solar - What You Need to Know

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There are a range of different types of inverter for solar systems, from the small string inverters that you’ll see on many residential roofs to the large inverters used in utility scale solar farms. The choice of inverter for your system depends on a number of factors, such as your electricity consumption needs and whether you’ll be adding batteries to your solar panel array.

The smallest string inverters are around the size of a briefcase and are located as close as possible to your electricity meter, typically in a shaded area. They can be found in the cheapest solar power systems and are great for homes with limited shading or a flat, unobstructed roof. Most inverters have a display screen that shows a variety of information about the performance of your solar array, including its current and long term power production. Some also have a smart software monitoring option, which allows you to track performance via your computer.

If you’re interested in adding batteries to your solar power system, you’ll need a hybrid inverter. These inverters connect to a battery bank and coordinate the charging and discharging of the batteries, so that you can continue producing solar energy even during a power outage. They’re also used in solar-plus-storage systems, which combine solar with an energy storage system.

There is a wide range of inverters available from a variety of manufacturers. Most of the top-rated inverters are made by German companies, including SMA Solar Technologies and Fronius. SMA has a strong reputation in the industry and their latest Sunny Boy AV series is very popular. Fronius has a new line of Snap-in inverters that are also well regarded by installers.

A more recent innovation are microinverters, which connect to each individual solar panel in a PV system and optimise their performance. These inverters can be very effective at reducing the impact of shading and mismatching. Microinverters are usually larger than traditional string inverters and can be quite expensive. However, you can get a lower price by choosing a model that uses a single MPPT instead of multiple (e.g. Goodwe).

Some microinverters come with a display screen, which is great for finding issues quickly and shifting your electricity usage to maximise solar energy production. Other features that may be important to you include the ability to monitor your PV system in real time, the capability to synchronise with a smart battery and the warranty length. Many of the best 

 feature a 10-year warranty, which gives you peace of mind for years to come.

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