Solar panels produce DC power, and batteries store DC energy, but households and most appliances run on AC power, which is also supplied by the electricity grid. Inverter converts DC power to AC power, but not all inverters are the same; solar inverters and battery inverters have very different purposes, which we explain in more detail below.
Battery inverters convert DC low voltage battery power to AC power. These are available in a huge range of sizes, from simple 150W plug-in style inverters used in vehicles, to powerful 10,000W+ inverters used for off-grid power systems. Simple ‘plug-in’ style battery inverters are often used in caravans, RV’s, boats and small off-grid homes.
First, let’s clarify what an inverter is. Solar panels produce DC power, and batteries store DC energy, but households and most appliances run on AC power, which is also supplied by the electricity grid.
Becoming responsible for managing storage is a natural evolution for inverters in PV systems. To work with batteries, inverters need to know how to read home meters and monitor and control batteries. This includes having the capability to charge and discharge the battery according to the set profile and monitor its system status.
With this in mind, hybrid inverters are your best choice as they can act as an energy converter for both solar panels and batteries. By the way, no solar power system is complete without a battery. Click the following link to learn more about how solar batteries work or this post on the best solar battery on the Australian market.
The second important function of power electronics is to provide full visibility into production, consumption and storage needs to properly allocate energy in real time. As the brain of the system, the inverter is the only component that has this information and already contains most of the required electronic hardware.