There are several types of solar inverter sizes:
Central inverter
Central inverter is the largest inverter and it’s used for large-scale installation. The solar panel that generates DC electricity will send it to a combination box which will sent to the central inverter to convert into AC power.
String inverter
String inverter is commonly used and has the affordable price. All the production from solar panel will be send to an inverter to convert into AC power for home user.
Micro inverter
Micro inverter is more expensive compared to string inverter. In micro inverter system, each panel has a mini inverter that can convert the DC power from panel directly into AC for household appliances. Such as Enphase, micro inverter
Hybrid inverter
Hybrid solar inverter has function like string inverter. Hybrid solar inverters have the same concept as string inverters. Hybrid inverters provide more cost-effective than installing standard strings. The majority of hybrid inverters can be installed without batteries. This gives you the flexibility to upgrade the inverter with solar battery later on.
Hybrid solar inverter is also the most modern solar inverter, more secure and easy to install, do not require many components. By installing solar panel, inverter and solar battery, user can start to produce their own energy. Besides that, the hybrid system also provides more efficient results.
Here are some examples of hybrid solar inverter on the market:
> IMEON Energy, French manufacturer of inverters for self-consumption with storage, IMEON ENERGY is a forerunner of all-in-one hybrid systems integrating a DC bus architecture. This technology has the advantage of high efficiency (over 95%) and an optimization of the battery life (only the excess production is charged in the batteries). IMEON solar inverters can be used in a variety of modes (on grid, off grid, back up and smart mode). IMEON ENERGY’s hybrid inverters are equipped with a backup output (UPS), which ensures the operation of certain electrical appliances in the event of power cuts.
>Ingeteam is a spanish manufacturer with a range of single phase inverters with double MPPT for residential application from 2.5 up to 6kW. Ingeteam inverters only propose wifi, ethernet and RS 485 as an option.
>Fronius international GmbH is an Austrian company. Fronius proposes three phase inverter for residential applications with an energy management function installed as standard. Fronius has it’s own storage solution. Fronius inverter can only be connected to a Fronius battery. No possibility to choose an other brand of battery. The company does not offer any off-grid solution and propose wifi has an option.
> Nedap powerrouter, a Dutch manufacturer of inverters for self-consumption with storage. Nedap’s solutions integrate the management of photovoltaic modules and batteries. Nedap Powerrouter inverters are designed on a grid-connected inverter base and therefore have the capacity to inject power to the public distribution network whenever the PV production exceeds power consumption and the battery is charged. This last point is important in the context of profitability, since it gives the opportunity to sell surplus production to a supplier of electricity (where regulation allows).
>WKS, a China based manufacturer of inverters, it offers all-in-one systems for off grid installations. WKS solutions integrate the management of photovoltaic modules and batteries. WKS systems are often presented as hybrid inverters, while their inverters in fact rely solely on an off grid system architecture (a PWM or MPPT charger and an inverter integrated in one enclosure). WKS inverters do not allow power to be injected into the public distribution network since they create their own sinewave (no phase synchronization). This solution regularly degrades the production (MPPT limitation) so that it does not exceed the consumption.
