| A grid tie inverter is a particular type of inverter | | | | sync with the grid. |
| that will allow you to take the electricity you | | | | Grid tie inverters offer other benefits as well. As |
| generate with things like solar panels or wind | | | | a rule, electricity flows from higher voltage to |
| turbines and sell it back to the power company. | | | | lower voltage. This is the principle under which |
| The 1978 Federal Public Utilities Regulatory Policies | | | | battery charging, for example, works. The |
| Act (PURPA) states that everyone in the US has | | | | battery is connected to a charger that outputs at |
| the right to sell renewable energy to their local | | | | higher voltage, and the electricity flows to the |
| power company. This law was introduced in | | | | location of lower voltage: the battery. This is why |
| response to the 1973 Arab oil embargo and is | | | | a 12 volt battery takes a charger of over 12 |
| equally relevant today. | | | | volts. |
| The function of an ordinary power inverter is to | | | | Therefore, moving electricity back to the grid |
| convert DC electricity to AC so that it can be | | | | requires electricity which is of a higher voltage |
| used in the home. They also work to convert 12 | | | | than the grid's electricity. This is another way in |
| or 24 volt electricity to 120 volt, for the same | | | | which a grid tie inverter comes in handy, as it |
| reason. While inverters are an ordinary part of | | | | keeps track of voltage levels as well. Your excess |
| any renewable energy system, you can't use just | | | | higher voltage electricity will flow out to the grid, |
| any inverter to sell power back to the utility | | | | and your power meter will run in reverse. |
| company. The AC power that you get from an | | | | It's not surprising, considering their extended |
| inverter is essentially the same as that which | | | | functionality, that grid tie inverters are more |
| comes right from the grid: 120 volts, 60 cycles | | | | expensive than ordinary inverters. However, a |
| per second. However, it's probable that the two | | | | grid tie inverter will give you the opportunity to |
| sources of electricity are out of phase with one | | | | actually make money using your renewable |
| another. Your electricity may be cycling up while | | | | energy system, so it's worth the investment. |
| the grid's is cycling down, and vice versa. A grid | | | | Anyone using wind or solar energy should strongly |
| tie inverter will ensure that your inverter stays in | | | | consider going with a grid tie inverter. |