Solar energy or the energy that we get from the sun is considered as the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available on the planet. Solar power is the energy from the sun that gets collected through solar panels and then converted into power which can be used as electricity or as a source of heat.
Over time, the number of people who are recognizing the advantages of utilizing solar power as an alternative source of electricity both for personal and commercial use has increased and is still continuously growing up to this day.
While solar energy is unlimited and comes with no cost, harnessing it and converting it to power requires the use of a solar power system, a special equipment created for this purpose. Using the right type of solar power system is very important in order to maximize its full potential and at the same time, get your money’s worth.
Types of Solar Power System
Since solar power can be used for different kinds of purposes, it should not come as a surprise that there are different types of solar power systems available in the market.
At present, solar power systems can be divided into three kinds: grid-tied solar power system, off-grid solar power system and hybrid solar power system.
A grid-tied solar system, as the name suggests, is a solar power system that you need to connect to an electricity utility grid for it to work. Meanwhile, an off-grid solar power system is an independent solar power system that makes use of batteries to store energy. Think of this as a power bank or a backup power source. Finally, a hybrid solar system is a combination of the features of a grid-tied solar system and an off-grid solar system.
In this article, we will focus on and discuss in detail the third type, hybrid solar system, so go ahead and find out if this is the type of solar system that you are looking for.
What is a Hybrid Solar System?
Traditionally speaking, the word “hybrid” meant two sources of power such as wind and solar but in the solar industry, the term “hybrid” refers to the solar power system that makes use of a combination of solar power and batteries that can be connected to the electricity grid.
As mentioned earlier, a hybrid solar system is like the byproduct of a grid-tied solar system and off-grid solar system when their features are combined. This solar power system generates power just like how a grid-tied solar system does but it also has the batteries that an off-grid solar power system contains so it can also store energy for later use.
How It Works
So how does a hybrid solar system work? Just imagine, the solar energy from the sun gets collected by a hybrid solar system. Once collected, it gets converted to solar power right away and then sent to the inverter. The inverter then converts solar power (DC) to electricity (AC) and sends that to the grid to power your home. Any excess energy that is not used to power your home will then be sent to your home battery for storage. This battery can provide power to your home when your solar panels are not producing energy.
Key Benefits of a Hybrid Solar Power System
The biggest and most important benefit one can get from a hybrid solar system is that you will always have a constant supply of electricity no matter what happens. Sudden power outage? You are covered. Inclement weather? You are covered. Rotating blackouts? You are covered.
Just think about it, whenever there is excess production of solar energy, the extra solar power is utilized to charge batteries and stored for future use. And when the demand is high and there is not enough solar energy available, the stored energy from the batteries is then used to make up for the shortage. This type of solar system has covered all possible points of concern for you.
Final Thoughts
Hybrid solar systems have become increasingly popular in recent years especially to those who would like to be in control of their own power supply. It has become a great option to those who would like to ensure that there is constant power in their homes or even businesses all because they have the backup battery to use during power outages and the steady flow of current from the grid while saving on electricity costs. It will just all boil down to personal preferences and needs on which type or which brand one would get for their solar power requirements.
* We want to give credit where credit is due. Professional writer, Ann Matthew, contributed research and content to this blog titled: Solar Hybrid System Thank you, Ann, for your contributions!