Grid-Tied System

A grid-tied solar system is the most common type of residential solar installation in the United States. It connects directly to your local utility grid, allowing you to draw power from the grid when your panels aren’t producing enough and send excess electricity back to the grid when they produce more than you need.

The primary advantage of a grid-tied system is net metering: surplus solar energy flows to the grid and earns you credits on your electric bill. This means you don’t need expensive battery storage to benefit from solar — the grid effectively acts as your backup. Grid-tied systems are simpler, less expensive, and easier to install than off-grid or hybrid systems. However, most grid-tied systems cannot power your home during a utility outage — when the grid goes down, your solar system automatically shuts off for safety reasons (to prevent backfeeding electricity to utility workers). If you want backup power during outages, you can add a battery storage system to create a grid-tied hybrid system. Over 95% of residential solar installations in the US are grid-tied.