Hybrid solar systems allow homeowners to use both solar and grid energy. These systems offer the self-sufficiency of off-grid solar setups while still connecting to the main electricity grid. During peak sunlight hours, solar panels generate energy and recharge battery storage. If there’s a solar shortage, like during cloudy days or at night, the grid power comes into play.

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The upfront costs of a hybrid solar system can vary based on system size and design. Our team reviewed the best solar companies available nationwide that offer hybrid solar systems. Below, we’ll explore how hybrid solar systems work, how much they cost, and the pros and cons of using them.

How Does a Hybrid Solar System Work?

A hybrid solar system combines the function of photovoltaic panels with energy storage techniques. Solar panels on your roof or on the ground convert sunlight into electricity that powers your home. Any excess energy flows into the grid or a battery bank, where it is stored for later use. 

Other key components of a hybrid solar system include the following:

• Battery bank: Solar batteries (typically lead acid or lithium-ion batteries) store energy that isn’t used immediately.
• Charge controller: The charge controller protects batteries from overcharging, which limits their lifespans.
• Hybrid inverter: The hybrid inverter converts the direct current from solar cells into an alternating current. It also manages the power from the solar panels and the battery and connects to the grid.
• Metering/monitoring system: Hybrid installations include a solar metering and monitoring system that tracks energy production and usage. This system also monitors efficiency and helps with energy management.
• Solar panels: Each panel, or module, is made up of dozens of solar cells that capture sunlight and generate electricity.

Hybrid systems combine on-grid and off-grid capabilities. They ensure a continuous power supply by switching between solar power, battery power, and grid power as needed. This means you’ll have power even during grid outages or cloudy conditions.

Hybrid systems minimize reliance on the grid, allowing you to use stored power during peak price times or emergencies.

Hybrid Systems vs. Grid-Tied Systems vs. Off-Grid Systems

Homeowners can choose from three main types of solar power systems:

• Grid-tied solar system: Grid-tied systems include a solar inverter that connects directly to the utility grid, which directs surplus energy back to the grid.
• Hybrid solar system: Hybrid systems connect to the grid and a battery system. These systems can draw and convert energy from solar panels or storage.
• Off-grid solar system: Off-grid systems are self-sufficient and send surplus energy to storage batteries.

Benefits of a Hybrid Solar System

A hybrid solar panel system can help you save money on your electricity bills or provide your home with a battery backup. Hybrid solar systems offer a range of benefits for homeowners, including the following:

• Cost savings: Homeowners can save money on their monthly energy costs by using hybrid solar systems. The combination of solar power and battery storage is especially advantageous if a local utility company doesn’t offer net metering or charges time-of-use rates. You can increase your savings if you implement solar heating systems throughout your home.
• Flexibility: You can customize hybrid systems to meet your unique energy needs as they change. 
• Peace of mind: A hybrid system functions as a home battery during power outages or blackouts so you can continue to use essential appliances. 
• Sustainability: A hybrid solar system produces clean, renewable energy, reduces your reliance on fossil fuels, and ensures that any surplus energy doesn’t go to waste.

Homeowners can often qualify for state and federal tax credits, such as the federal solar tax credit, if they invest in hybrid systems. Some solar panel manufacturers and utility providers offer rebates and incentives for consumers who invest in solar energy systems.

Hybrid Solar System Disadvantages 

There are some disadvantages to using hybrid solar systems, including the following:

• Compatibility concerns: There is no guarantee that current hybrid converters will be compatible with newer, more efficient battery designs, which could restrict your future upgrade options. Upgrading an existing solar system to a hybrid setup is costlier and more complicated than you might expect.
• Complex installation: Installation of a hybrid setup is complex, which can translate to higher up-front costs.
• High up-front cost: The initial cost of a hybrid system can be prohibitive. Hybrid inverters are typically more expensive than traditional inverters because they have more functions, and solar batteries can add thousands of dollars to the cost of installation.

Consider why you want to invest in solar panels to determine whether a hybrid system is worth the cost. The benefits of battery storage may not offset the higher up-front cost of a hybrid system. Grid-tied systems may be a better solution because they offer a simpler and more cost-effective option with a quicker return on investment.

Cost Considerations

A typical hybrid solar system setup costs homeowners an average of $30,000 for a 6kW system with monocrystalline panels and three lithium-ion batteries. Your costs could be significantly lower or higher depending on the size of your system and the quality of the components.

The types of panels and batteries your solar PV system uses are the most significant cost variables. Flooded lead-acid batteries and monocrystalline or thin-film panels are less expensive, while lithium batteries and monocrystalline or bifacial panels are more expensive.

Pricing varies by location, installation complexity, and the contractor you hire. DIY installation is not recommended, but you can save money by shopping around and comparing quotes. 

Cost data in this article was sourced from Fixr.

Maintenance Tips for Hybrid Solar Systems

Regular solar panel maintenance ensures that your hybrid system continues to operate efficiently. These small steps can help optimize system performance and extend battery life. Here are some recommended practices:

• Check battery levels regularly to ensure adequate energy storage.
• Avoid overcharging and deep discharging the batteries, as these can damage battery life.
• Consider adding a battery monitoring system to track the state of the charge.
• Clean the panels every six months, and check battery health and the inverter every three to five years.

Our Conclusion

Hybrid solar systems cost more to install initially. These setups, which blend solar panels with batteries and sometimes a grid connection, provide off-grid power for nighttime usage and backup power during an outage. All-in-one solar systems offer reliable electricity, and their energy savings can help lessen costly electricity bills and utility price hikes. However, homeowners must weigh their energy needs and the solar panel system’s cost before investing.

A hybrid system’s estimated monthly energy savings vary by location, solar panel size, and other factors. Hybrid systems tend to make the most sense for customers in the Northeast or for those who use just over the average amount of electricity. We recommend contacting solar companies for an estimate specific to your home and budget.

FAQs About Ground-Mounted Solar Panels

Table of Contents

1. What is a Hybrid Solar System?
2. Hybrid Systems vs. On-grid Systems vs. Off-grid Systems
3. How Does a Hybrid Solar System Work?
4. What is Needed for a Hybrid Solar System?
5. Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Solar System
6. Is a Hybrid Solar System Right for Me?
7. Conclusion

As more and more people are looking for ways to become more self-sustainable to promote an eco-friendlier planet, solar energy sources have been a prime solution. Hybrid solar systems are a great innovation that allows homeowners to harness free energy created by the sun and utilize it to help supplement their home’s electricity demands throughout the year.

What is a Hybrid Solar System?

A hybrid system provides you the benefit of having battery storage for the solar energy that you produce while still being connected to the public electricity grid. This makes it the perfect type of system for supplying your electricity needs whenever you’re dealing with a power outage on the public electricity grid.

Each hybrid system will have four main components to work properly. These include solar panels, solar inverters, batteries, and electricity switchboards. Most people are familiar with photovoltaic cell panels placed either on top of the roof or mounted on a frame that rests on the ground in areas where sunlight is typically present. The whole job of these panels is to harness the energy coming from the sun.

Once the panels harness the energy, it’s in the form of direct current, or DC for short. Since all household appliances run on alternating current or AC electricity, your solar inverter is responsible for converting that DC electricity to AC electricity. Once your solar inverter has created AC electricity, it is sent to the electricity switchboard, where it’s determined how the energy is used.

The switchboard allows your household appliances and circuits to utilize the energy, send it to one of your solar batteries for storage, or feed it back into the public grid to provide you with some extra cash. For a hybrid system, you’ll have at least one battery for solar energy storage at your home.

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While there are different types on the market, the whole point of the battery is to store that solar energy so that you can utilize it at times when your system is not producing any new energy and you don’t want to or can’t draw on the public electricity grid.

 

Hybrid Systems vs. On-grid Systems vs. Off-grid Systems

Hybrid energy systems are highly popular because they provide a great median between on-grid and off-grid systems. Traditional on-grid solar systems simply utilize solar energy to help provide electricity for your home. However, one of the pitfalls of an on-grid system is that it doesn’t have battery storage. Once the sun goes down or it’s a very overcast day, you’ll still need to rely on the main public electricity grid to provide Power for your home.

When it comes to an off-grid system, it requires much costlier equipment and an area for large battery storage so that you can power your home around the clock without any reliance on the public electrical grid. A hybrid energy system is situated in the middle and gives you the best of both worlds.

With this hybrid system, there is battery storage where you can hang on to some of that solar energy that you’re harnessing to help power your home at times when solar energy cannot be produced. Even better, a hybrid energy system is still connected to the public grid, which allows your home to receive public electricity whenever you run out of battery storage and cannot produce solar energy, such as in the middle of the night when the sun is down.

How Does a Hybrid Solar System Work?

A hybrid system is essentially a renewable energy system that utilizes solar panels to generate clean energy to power your household. It all starts with solar panels being exposed to sunlight to collect energy. These panels are able to harness the sun’s energy for their special photovoltaic cells.

Once energy is harnessed by the solar panel, it’s in the form of direct current energy. Since all of our households run on alternating current, a solar inverter is a necessary part of your hybrid energy system that converts that raw direct current into usable alternating current.

When your system is producing more energy than your household is currently using, that excess energy will be sent via the switchboard to your battery. This battery will hold the solar energy until you need it. Most of the time, this will be whenever the sun goes down, and you’re not able to produce solar energy but still need to run your appliances.

This is also helpful when the public grid has a power outage. You’ll still be able to rely on your solar battery to power your household’s electricity needs whenever it cannot harness energy from the sun, such as in the evening hours.

What is Needed for a Hybrid Solar System?

Any good hybrid system will have at least four main components. These are solar panels, the solar inverter, the switchboard, and battery storage. Solar panels are the most prominent part of the hybrid system as they’re commonly exposed on the roof of a house or in a yard.

Depending on where you get the most sunlight on your property, you’ll need solar panel mounts designed for your roof or your yard. The solar inverter, switchboard, and battery are typically hidden out of sight and don’t take up as much space as the panels do.

Pros and Cons of a Hybrid Solar System

When comparing the different types of solar energy systems out there, hybrid systems come along with their own pros and cons that any customer should be aware of. The main advantage of a hybrid system over other options is that it allows you to not only harness energy from the sun but store that energy for times when you need it most.

Additionally, since a hybrid system is still connected to the public utility grid, you cannot only make money on excess energy that your system creates, but you can also tap into using the public grid whenever you run out of energy stores.

However, it is important to note that hybrid systems are going to be slightly more expensive than your traditional on grid solar systems due to their added power backup system and battery storage.

Is a Hybrid Solar System Right for Me?

Deciding whether or not a hybrid type of solar system is best for your home comes down to assessing a few different key factors. These include your location, how much energy your home consumes, your budget, and your overall personal preferences. Hybrid energy systems are very popular for homeowners because they provide all the benefits of an on-grid system, with some of the benefits of an off-grid system.

This type of system can be particularly beneficial if you live in a geographical location where you experience blackouts on a consistent basis. This is simply due to the fact that the hybrid system will have battery storage and a backup power system to help keep your household running whenever the public grid is down.

However, it’s also important to keep your budget in mind when it comes to purchasing your solar energy system. Hybrid systems are costlier than traditional on grid systems.

Conclusion

Choosing to invest in a solar energy system for your home can be a great way to help save money on power bills and create a more self-sustainable life for you and your family. When it comes down to choosing the right type of solar energy system, hybrid systems tend to be the most popular and versatile for households.

If you’re considering investing in a solar energy system, then you need to check out Chint Global’s large solar energy product lineup. From solar photovoltaic panels to solar energy inverters, they have you covered from start to finish.

FAQ about Hybrid Solar System

What is the difference between solar system and hybrid solar system?

How much does a hybrid solar system cost?

Is a hybrid solar system the same as an off-grid solar system?