A Beginner's Guide to Inverters: Hybrid |
Posted: July 19, 2019 |
For monocrystalline PV module systems, an inverter is necessary to convert solar energy into usable electricity. However, when buying one, you might encounter the term "hybrid" on its name (e.g., Fronius single phase hybrid inverter). If you're unfamiliar with it, don't worry. Learning about it is quite easy, especially if there's a guide that allows you to understand it better. Here’s a quick primer on hybrid inverters. What It Is: Understanding Grid-Tie TypesTo understand what a hybrid is, learning first what a grid-tie is. These refer to whether or not a PV system is connected to a utility power grid. Currently, there are 3 types focusing on monocrystalline PV module efficiency: On-Grid: Also known as grid-interactive inverters, these are connected with your neighborhood's power line. This gives way for the excess electricity to flow into the utility grid instead of being wasted or overloading the PV system. Doing so increases efficiency rates, and allows a structure to take place where companies pay you for the energy you feed to the grid, called net metering. Off-Grid: These aren't connected to power lines and have a self-sustaining system in utilizing power; hence, it's also called a stand-alone inverter. Contrary to on-grids, the excess energy is stored to a battery rather than being fed to a utility grid. This allows PV systems using this to provide power to homes when solar light isn't available, like at night and during cloudy days. Hybrid: Getting the best of both worlds, hybrid inverters, such as a Fronius single phase inverter, combines both the benefits of on-grid and off-grid in a single system. This can be either in the form of off-grid PV with utility backup or grid-tied PV with extra battery storage. How It WorksHybrid inverters generate power for homes similar to other PV grid-types - by converting sunlight (direct current) into usable electricity (alternating current). However, unlike on-grids, which the excess energy is directed to the utility line, these inverters can store electricity in batteries for later use or as a backup power supply. Once the storage is full, the by-product can flow to the neighborhood line for net metering. Advantages and DisadvantagesOther than those for grid-interactive and stand-alone inverters, hybrid units also have their own pros and cons: Pros
Cons
This is just a quick primer for hybrid inverters. If you're interested in learning more about units like the monocrystalline PV module, or about other grid-tie types, you can talk with a contractor today.
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