How Solar Power Works, On-Grid, Off-Grid And Hybrid April 2, 2014 Martin Newkirk The three main types of solar power systems 1. On-grid - also known as a grid-tie or grid-feed solar system 2. Off-grid - also known as a stand-alone power system (SAPS) 3. Hybrid - Solar plus battery storage with grid-connection Simplified layout of a on-grid solar system First we will describe the common components of the three types before going into more detail about the different systems and how they work. All Solar Systems Include: Solar panels : Solar panels or solar modules are installed together in what is known as a solar array. Modern solar panels are made up of many solar cells or photovoltaic ( PV ) cells which generate direct current (DC) electricity from sunlight or energy from the sun . Note : It is light energy or irradiance, not heat, which produces electricity in photovoltaic cells....