What is a Grid Tie Inverter?
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A grid tie inverter is a specific type of inverter that will let you take the electricity you generate with installations like solar panels or wind turbines and sell it back to the power company.
US citizens have the right, as stated in the 1978 Federal Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), to sell renewable energy to their local power company. This law was introduced after the 1973 Arab oil embargo and is just as relevant today.
A standard power inverter simply converts DC electricity to AC, which is needed for appliances in the home. Inverters also convert the 12 or 24 volt electricity your installation is generating to 120 volts. While inverters are a basic part of any renewable energy system, you can’t use just any inverter to sell power back to the grid. The AC power that comes from an inverter, at 120 volts and 60 cycles per second, is basically the same as power that comes directly from the grid. However, it’s probable that the two sources of electricity are out of phase with one another. If your inverter’s electricity is cycling up when the grid’s is cycling down, sending your electricity there won’t be possible. The answer to the problem is a grid tie inverter. This type of inverter keeps your inverter in sync with the grid.
A grid tie inverter is useful in other ways as well. As a rule, electricity will flow from higher voltage to lower voltage. This is how battery charging works. The charger will have a higher voltage than the battery, so the electricity moves from the charger to the battery. This is why a 12 volt battery needs a charger of over 12 volts.
By that principle, it’s necessary to have electricity of a slightly higher voltage than that of the grid in order to send your electricity there. This is another way in which a grid tie inverter comes in handy, as it monitors and regulates voltage levels as well. Your excess higher voltage electricity will flow out to the grid, and your power meter will run backwards.
Grid tie inverters are more expensive than basic inverters because of their increased functionality. The opportunity to actually make money with your renewable energy system, though, means that a grid tie inverter is well worth the investment. A grid tie inverter will also provide AC power for appliances in your home as well, so it can actually provide a solution of all of your energy needs.
The idea of off grid living appeals to many people. You can get more information by visiting Off Grid Living.
For more information about the components of solar power system, visit Solar How To.
If you are looking for the best DIY charger plans with step-by-step videos, check out DIY Solar Charger.