Island Photovoltaic Power Inverter

How does an islanding solar inverter work?

Your islanding solar inverter works independently from the power grid. If there's a storm or other event that knocks out the main power grid, your solar power system will continue running and providing power to your home. We mention this because many people mistake going solar with going off-grid, but that's typically not the case.

Are solar inverters 'anti-island'?

All inverters are required to be able to be "anti-island." In other words, solar inverters are explicitly designed not to allow your solar panels to continue to push electricity into your home in the event of an outage.

Do you need a solar inverter?

To achieve this effect, you need special inverters that can operate in solar inverter island mode and reliable batteries with sufficient capacity. Both the specialized inverters and backup battery storage required to power your home without the grid are more expensive than a typical solar power system.

Why do solar panels and inverters need anti-islanding?

Solar panels and inverters are expensive investments. Islanding can cause voltage spikes and other electrical anomalies. These impacts can damage your solar equipment severely. Anti-islanding prevents such situations by discontinuing power production during islanding. It keeps your solar systems from experiencing harmful electrical issues.

How does a solar inverter work?

This detection mechanism ensures that the solar inverter system promptly disconnects from the grid, preventing it from operating independently as an islanded load. By using an inverter, it helps protect both the solar system itself and any utility workers who may be working on repairing or restoring power to the grid.

How does a solar inverter work during a power outage?

With a safe solar island system, the inverter assumes a highly complex but crucial role during a power outage: First, your inverter completely removes your home from the grid to fulfill anti-islanding requirements. Your inverter then uses a transfer switch to connect your home directly with the solar power system in island mode.