Frequently Asked Questions

On-Grid or Grid-Tied systems maintain a link to the utility electricity grid. These types of system use solar panels to provide you with power, but at night or on very cloudy days power is drawn from the grid. There is no battery storage in these systems. A common use of this system type is in commercial settings where power is almost exclusively only required during the day and there is extensive roof space available for installing panels.

Off- Grid systems are not connected to the electricity grid at all. The power supply is exclusively from the solar panels. These systems require careful research and planning to ensure sufficient power generation from the panels and power storage capacity in the batteries. In rural locations and developing areas the reducing costs of equipment can mean an off-grid system is a more cost effective alternative to being connected to the grid which may be some distance away.

Hybrid systems combine the benefits of being connected to the grid but also having battery storage. This may lead to days when grid power is not required or only required during periods of stormy and cloudy weather. The added advantage of hybrid systems is an uninterrupted supply of electricity when the grid has a ‘blackout’ power outage.