What do the terms on-grid, grid-connected, grid-tied and off-grid mean?
On-grid, grid-connected or grid-tied means connected to the utility electrical grid. Off-grid refers to systems that are not connected to the utility electrical grid. Grid-connected PV systems operate in parallel with your local utility service, providing a supplemental source of clean, Renewable Energy. Direct current (DC) power from the solar modules is fed to an inverter that converts this energy to utility-grade alternating current (AC). This energy is then fed into a building’s load center, helping offset incoming utility power. These systems can be designed with storage batteries and a special “bi-modal” inverter to act as a back-up power source if utility power fails. Off-grid PV systems are designed as the primary power source for remote locations without utility service. These systems always have deep-cycle storage batteries and often are coupled with a fossil-fuel generator to provide reliable service regardless of weather conditions.
On-grid, grid-connected or grid-tied means connected to the utility electrical grid. Our solar electric systems are designed as on-grid systems, meaning that they interconnect with your existing utility service. Off-grid refers to systems that are not connected to the utility electrical grid. Our solar electric packaged systems are not designed for off-grid applications. An off-grid system must be custom designed by a solar power expert.
