What Is a Solar Inverter & How Does It Work?

With heating and lighting costs rising consistently in the UK, homeowners and businesses are looking for ways to become more self-sufficient in their energy usage. As such, the PV panel solar inverter is technology that plays a pivotal role in harnessing the abundant energy that comes from the sun.

Working within a solar panel system, it acts as the brain. This solar inverter solar panel hardware converts direct current (DC) electricity that's generated into alternating current (AC) - a form of electricity that homes can actually use.

Achieving Supreme Efficiency

One of the primary benefits of a photovoltaic inverter is its ability to promote supreme efficiency in the home. When combined with an EcoFlow PowerOcean Home Battery Solution, they help squeeze every drop of energy out of the renewable source, that is, the sun, while offering precise monitoring capabilities.

In this article, we delve more deeply into the subject, exploring the types of solar inverters that exist in this exciting and innovative industry and how they work.

The best way to explain a solar inverter (a.k.a. Photovoltaic inverter) is to imagine it as a type of electricity translator between the solar panels on your roof or in your back garden and your home. Solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight and produce electricity. However, this energy initially comes in the form of DC electricity, which your home can't use.

This is where the solar inverter comes in, transforming it into AC electricity that's able to power everything in your home, from your TV to your lighting and washing machine. As such, without it, the sun's energy would be of no use to you, so it represents a vital bridge required in the use of solar power.

In addition to standard solar inverter solar panel technologies, you might also find the following technologies in operation in homes across the UK.

A hybrid solar inverter combines the functionality of a standard solar inverter and a battery inverter into one cohesive unit. This technology is able to convert DC electricity from solar panels into AC that can be used immediately, as well as efficiently store energy in batteries for use at a later time.

What benefits does this offer to homeowners? Well, it increases energy independence and allows any excess electricity collected by panels for use on days when it isn't sunny or when the power goes out. You also get the same optimisation of energy use, which naturally makes your energy bills come down.

Another form of advanced photovoltaic inverter is an MPPT solar inverter, which stands for (Maximum Power Point Tracking). This type is again designed to maximise the efficiency of solar panels, and it does so by dynamically adjusting the electrical operating point of the panels.

This ensures that they produce the optimal levels of power in any given condition, so when the light levels fluctuate, you can always be sure that you’re getting the most out of what’s available. This option is particularly beneficial when used in less-than-ideal weather conditions - something the UK is known for - resulting in higher performance levels than standard inverters.

A solar panel solar inverter represents an essential part of your renewable home energy setup, and the ideal size will depend on the situation, location and more.

Home and business premises owners across Britain have different requirements, meaning that the solar inverter market is a diverse one. That’s why there’s a range of sizes available to meet those needs, and they vary based on each unit’s power capacity (Measured in kW).

Residential Needs - when talking about use in residential properties, you will find that photovoltaic inverter units typically have a power capacity between 1kW to 5kW. These are smaller units designed for the needs of average-sized homes.

Larger homes or properties that have an increased need for electricity might require a converter that has a capacity that extends to between 5kW to 10kW. These units offer increased capacity without being too big.

Commercial Needs - Moving on to commercial installations suitable for businesses and/or industrial facilities, a larger solar converter for inverter purposes will likely be required. As such, this grade of unit will range between 10kW to 50kW and above.

These high-capacity inverters are designed to cope with the requirements of commercial operations, providing efficient conversion from DC to AC for large arrays of solar panels.

When looking for optimal performance from solar inverter/solar panel setups, your panels should be paired with a photovoltaic inverter that matches their characteristics and capacity. Naturally, solar panels should be located and positioned for maximum sun exposure on a south-facing roof in the UK and the inverter installed as close as possible.

The reason for this is to minimise the amount of energy that's lost as it passes through the cables. Also, you should be sure that your inverter's power rating is suitable for the output of your panels.

If it's too low, you may lose energy, and if it's too high, you're essentially paying for unused capacity. Regular maintenance of both panels and inverters is also key to ensuring the system's performance and longevity.

After optimally positioning your panels for the best levels of sunlight (always a given), it's again a case of choosing the MPPT photovoltaic inverter which suits your panel specs and the level of energy use you think you'll need. Aside from regular maintenance and positioning the unit close by, it doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

When you have a hybrid solar panel solar inverter, the key is to achieve optimal generation and battery storage of electricity. Again, position your panels for maximum sunlight and choose a unit that's appropriately sized to match your output and overall energy needs (as described in the section above).

Use the energy your system stores in its batteries during peak demand times or when there's not much sunlight, i.e. on a cloudy day or at night. Maintenance is, as ever, essential to make sure you're getting the most from your setup and enjoying reduced energy bills.

As mentioned, there are different types and sizes available on the UK market, so the cost will vary depending on the option chosen. However, as a rule of thumb, you’ll typically pay around £500 to £1,000 (also depending on the manufacturer) for a standard residential solar inverter that has a capacity of between 1kW and 5kW.

Moving up to larger, mid-level capacity converters of 5kW to 10kW, you can expect to pay around £1,000 to £2,000 (or above - particularly when talking about those at the upper end of that scale). Hybrid inverters are generally going to be more expensive, starting from £1,000 and going upwards - in line with their features and capacity for storage.

Is the investment you make on a photovoltaic inverter one that will last you a long time? All things being equal, yes, it is. The typical solar panel inverter life expectancy you're going to get is in the region of 10-15 years, which is shorter than the solar panels themselves as they're designed to last for as much as 25 to 30 years.

The reason for this is that solar inverters are constantly converting DC electricity into AC and handling high-power loads. As such, they have to work harder than solar panels, meaning they wear out faster. However, what makes one solar inverter last longer than another? There are a number of factors at play.

• Higher Quality Hardware - When you invest more at the outset in a higher-quality solar panel inverter, the solar panel inverter life expectancy will usually increase. They're typically made from more durable materials and feature a more efficient design, meaning they will take longer for operational efficiency to be lost.
• Regular Maintenance - Another reason why some PV panel inverters last longer than others is because regular monitoring and maintenance are carried out. Just like any home appliance, a little care and attention go a long way.
• Where the Hardware Is Located - Where your photovoltaic inverter is installed will also play a big part in how long it will be able to do work at optimal levels. As such, when it’s installed in a cool, shaded, well-ventilated spot, it's placed under less stress than one that's exposed to the full brunt of sun exposure every day.

Eco-flow PV inverters exist at the quality end of the spectrum, and they come with a 15-year guarantee, so you're assured of getting full value for your investment when regular maintenance is carried out.

When you first get your solar panel inverter installed, making sense of its display might seem a little daunting. However, when you know what you're doing and what to look for, it's pretty straightforward. As the heart of your solar power system, your PV inverter's display provides useful information relating to the performance and health of your setup.

There are a few key figures you'll be looking at:

• Current Power Output - This number is what your solar power system is generating right now, and it's measured in watts (W), so don't be surprised if it fluctuates throughout the day.
• Daily Energy Production - Typically shown in kilowatt-hours (kWh), this is the amount of electricity your solar setup has generated that day. It’s a figure that allows you to better understand how seasonal and weather changes affect how much energy is produced.
• Total Energy Production - Another useful figure that you’ll see on your PV inverter display. Again, shown in kWh, it gives you great insight into your system’s overall efficiency and productivity, which can be used to assess the total return on investment the hardware has given you, as well as track its environmental impact.

A good tip for ensuring that you get an accurate reading from your display is to check at the same time each day, preferably in the late afternoon. Doing so lets you identify potential problems with your solar system early. Also, you should be sure to keep your inverter display clean and easy to read, as a build-up of dirt can obscure your view, particularly if the sun is also reflecting off its surface.

Actually, yes, you can. The government in the UK prioritises renewable energy technologies and has implemented a number of tax breaks to help businesses adopt them. Let's take a look at a few of the options available.

Capital Allowances

As a type of tax relief that's designed to promote investment in solar energy systems, these installations qualify for two types of capital allowance - The Special Rate Tool and the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA). In the year of purchase, businesses can claim 100% tax relief on qualifying expenditures up to a limit of £1 million under the AIA.

The Special Rate Pool also offers tax relief on a percentage of capital expenditure, allowing businesses to claim at a rate of 6% on ‘integral features’ (a category these installations fall into for tax purposes).

We get asked many questions about photovoltaic inverter technology, and so, in this section, we take a look at some of the most common ones to give you an even greater understanding of what's involved with owning it yourself.

As we can see, a photovoltaic inverter is an innovative piece of kit that essentially pays for itself over time. Depending on the type of setup you choose, you can harness the power of the sun and turn it into energy for use now and later. And with an EcoFlow Home Battery system, you get great performance and complete control of how you use electricity.

If you'd like to know more about acquiring an energy-saving EcoFlow inverter and home battery system for your home or business premises, take a moment to browse our website, which shows you everything you could need to know.

Alternatively, click 'Order Now' on our homepage to get a free quote and welcome in a world of abundant and affordable energy for now and the future. We very much look forward to helping you achieve that dream.