An inverter is a brain and nervous system of a solar panel system. It maintains and controls the conversion of Direct Current into Alternating Current without which a solar panel system may be called useless. The increasing demand for solar inverters in the world has led manufacturers to set on a competitive journey, racing to produce better products. This has led to innovation which would not have been possible in such a short time otherwise. With all the types of inverters in the market, you might think it is difficult to make an informed decision. However, with a bit of research and some basic information, you can decide which type will best suit your needs. To aid you in taking this important decision, we have listed a clear and comprehensive difference between on-grid, off-grid, and hybrid inverters.
| Feature | On-Grid / Grid-Tie | Off-Grid | Hybrid |
| GRID CONNECTION | These inverters are directly connected to the grid and cannot work without connection to the grid. | These inverters are not connected to the grid and can function without connection to the grid. | These inverters are directly connected to the grid and can also perform their tasks without connection to the grid. |
| BATTERY | These inverters do not require batteries to work with as they store excess electricity directly to the grid and use the electricity from the grid when required. | These inverters cannot work without battery connection as they are not connected to the grid and require batteries to save excess electricity which can be used later on. | Batteries are optional for hybrid inverters. They are an added feature which can be used at any time. Hybrid inverters work without the batteries and with the batteries as well. It is up to the user how to use them. |
| NET METERING | The net metering option is available for grid-tie inverters as net metering essentially requires a connection to the grid so the excess electricity supplied to the grid could be monitored. | Without a connection to the grid, net metering cannot be used. The off-grid inverters do not offer a net metering facility. | Hybrids are a mix of off-grid and on-grid inverters and perform both the functions. Thus, the net metering option is available with the hybrid inverters |
| BACKUP GENERATOR | Since these inverters do not have adjacent batteries, they do not require any backup generators. | Unlike grid-tie inverters, these inverters essentially require batteries to be able to perform their operations and so backup generators also become a necessity. | These inverters if are connected to batteries would definitely require a backup generator as well. |
| ADVANCEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY | This is an innovative technology that allowed users to cut at expenses such as batteries and connect to grids and use net metering to save and earn money as well. | This technology is comparatively old yet innovations have kept it in the market. | This is the latest generation of inverters made to perform both off-grid and on-grid functions. This eliminates the cons of these systems. |
| RELIABILITY | These inverters are reliable as they are easy to manage and control. However, in the case of load shedding, they may not be as reliable because of the absence of batteries. | These inverters are moderately reliable and somewhat difficult to control. The batteries may also require maintenance thus making them less dependable. | The maintenance of batteries makes it a hassle; however, the overall performance of these inverter makes them extremely reliable since they can perform both on-grid and off-grid functions. |
| PERFORMANCE DURING A BLACKOUT | These inverters do not have a battery backup and use the grid to store excessive electricity. In case of load shedding and grid failures, they would not be able to support you in blackout until the grid is back on. | These inverters have batteries attached to them which store the electricity in them. The batteries provide support and backup when there is any kind of grid failure or blackout situation. It is worth mentioning here that the backup you will get also depends upon the size of batteries you have installed. | They may or may not be attached to batteries so whether they can provide you with backup in a blackout situation depends upon the way the user is utilizing their potential. |
| MAINTENANCE | These inverters do not require a lot of maintenance since they do not have a lot of heavy equipment attached to them. They are easy to maintain and do not pose the need for maintenance every other day. | Off-grid inverters also do not require maintenance every other day, however, they need more frequent checkups and servicing when compared to grid-tie inverters. | Hybrid inverters perform the heaviest operations if they are performing as both on and off-grid inverters so they require most frequent maintenance and servicing. |
| SIZE and COVER AREA | On-grid inverters are usually compact and require very little space to be installed. | Off-grid inverters are also compact in size however, the addition of batteries and the backup generator makes the whole system a very big one and so usually a spacious area is needed to install them. | The hybrid inverters if have batteries and backup generator to perform both on and off grid functions, occupy a lot of space. Otherwise, these inverters are easy to install as a grid-tie inverter. |
| PRICE | The price of the grid-tie inverters is economical as compared to the other two because no expensive equipment is included. | These inverters become expensive because the solar batteries that are usually required with them are very expensive. | Hybrid inverters are also expensive if they are installed with batteries. Even if the batteries are not installed, they are expensive than the other two because they are designed to perform functions of both the other two types of inverters. |
| USAGE | These inverters are perfect for residential and industrial usage. They are also the best option for agricultural installations. | Off-grid inverters work best in commercial and residential places. | These inverters are best to be used for commercial and residential purposes. However, they may not be ideal for industrial purposes as the batteries would be very costly. |
This detailed comparison should prove helpful in deciding the inverter which fits your needs the best, however, if you have any concerns or require any information, you can reach out to us and we shall help you to make the decision and get you the best inverter based on your specific requirements.
Premier Energy, being Pakistan’s no.1 solar company brings all famous and best inverter brands to you, at a very cost-effective and pocket-friendly price so you may purchase the inverter of your choice without any worries. We are working in every possible way to educate the masses about the need to go solar and work for a better and brighter future. It had never been so easy to get a solar panel system installed on just a call. We are bringing this change to make Pakistan energy independent and to make our environment clean and green. Join Premier Energy’s Green Brigade and be a part of this revolution, save bills, and make the environment safer. Reach out to us for any information and inquiries.
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- By: PE Admin
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