A device that converts direct current electricity to alternating current either for stand-alone systems or to supply power to an electricity grid.

An inverter that is tied to a power grid or line. The commutation of power (conversion from direct current to alternating current) is controlled by the power line; so, if there is a failure in the power grid, the photovoltaic system cannot feed power into the line.

An inverter that can function only when tied to the utility grid, and uses the prevailing line-voltage frequency on the utility line as a control parameter to ensure that the photovoltaic system's output is fully synchronized with the utility power.