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If you’ve been looking into installing solar PV at your property, you’ve likely come across the term ‘hybrid inverter’. It’s one of those things that often gets mentioned without much explanation, and it’s easy to be left wondering whether it’s something you need.
First things first: every solar photovoltaic (PV) system needs an inverter. Solar panels generate electricity in direct current (DC), but your home runs on alternating current (AC). The inverter’s job is to convert the energy from your solar panels into energy you can use in your home. Without an inverter, you wouldn’t be able to use the solar energy your panels generate.
Every solar system needs an inverter to convert the electricity produced by your panels – which is DC – into AC so it can be used in your home. There are a few different types of inverters available.
A string inverter connects all your solar panels in a ‘string’, treating them as a single system, and converts energy from DC into AC. It’s a simple setup, and used to be the most popular option for people installing solar on their homes.
An AC inverter is used specifically for battery storage systems, not for solar PV arrays. If you already have a string inverter and want to retrofit a battery, you’ll need an AC inverter to sit alongside it. An AC inverter takes AC electricity from your home and converts it into DC to be stored in the battery, and back again when discharging.
A hybrid inverter combines both functions. It handles your solar PV array and your battery storage in a single unit. It can take solar energy and direct it straight into your battery, without converting it twice. It can also send solar energy into your home or back to the grid, all from one central hub. As hybrid inverters deal directly with both DC solar input and DC battery storage, they’re more efficient than having two separate inverters. Choosing a hybrid inverter also simplifies your installation, and makes monitoring and control much easier.
We always recommend installing battery storage with your solar system, and for this reason, we install hybrid inverters as standard. Battery storage allows you to utilise more of your solar energy, benefit from time of use tariffs, and reduce your reliance on the energy grid. Without a battery, any surplus solar energy you generate is sent back to the grid. While you can earn a small payment for this via an export tariff, it is far more beneficial to keep that energy for yourself and reduce your dependence on the grid, especially during expensive peak hours.
By storing your own solar energy, you can make a much bigger dent in your energy bills. When paired with a time of use tariff, such as Octopus Flux, a battery allows you to charge up overnight when electricity is cheap, then use this lower cost energy during the day, even when the sun isn’t shining.
A hybrid inverter makes all of this simpler, and more energy efficient.
A hybrid inverter simplifies your whole system. Instead of needing a separate inverter for the battery, everything runs through a single unit, making the installation neater, more efficient, and easier for you to manage. It’s a cleaner installation, with fewer components on the wall and fewer things that can go wrong.
You’ll also benefit from a single monitoring app to track your energy production, usage, and storage, giving you full visibility of how your home is performing.
A hybrid inverter is essential if you’re having solar panels and battery storage installed together, and at HeatElectric, that’s exactly what we recommend. Battery storage allows you to make the most of your solar, save money with time-of-use tariffs, and future-proof your home.
We install hybrid inverters as standard because we believe every home should have the option to store and control its own energy, not just generate it.
If you’re planning a solar installation and want to do it right from the start, we’d love to help you design a system that works for your home and your energy goals. Get in touch today to find out more or to book a free, no obligation chat or home survey with one of our advisors.
