Hybrid inverters -

What a hybrid inverter does

A hybrid inverter converts the DC power from your solar panels into usable AC power, and also drives a home battery. With a standard solar inverter you need a separate unit for storage, here that function is already built in. That saves cupboard space and often part of the purchase cost too, especially if you already know a battery will be added later.

Single-phase or three-phase

For a smaller installation in a terraced house, single-phase is usually enough, such as the myenergi Libbi from 3.68 kW or the SolaX X1-VAST series. Got more panels, a heavier connection, or is your meter cupboard already full, then you end up with three-phase. The SolaX X3-ULT range goes up to 30 kW; the KP versions have, according to their type designation, three MPPT inputs, useful if your panels sit on different roof faces that don't all catch the same amount of sun.

What to watch for

With most brands, a hybrid inverter only works together with a battery from the same product line. Buy a SolaX inverter, and for storage you look at SolaX too. That's not a flaw, but it is something to know before you start comparing on price. And an honest catch: if you're fairly certain a battery will never be added, you're paying with a hybrid model for a function that sits idle. In that case, take a look at the solar inverters instead, which are cheaper for the same power.