Regular
inverters,
such
as
those
produced
by
SMA
and
Power-One,
typically
tie-in
all
the
panels
of
a
PV
system,
converting
the
electricity
they
produce
into
a
form
useable
by
the
grid.
The
chief
downside
of
such
inverters
is
that
they
work
with
the
system
as
a
whole,
as
opposed
to
individual
panels.
As
a
result,
if
a
single
panel
becomes
partially
shaded
or
damaged,
the
entire
system’s
output
can
be
lowered
significantly.
In
contrast,
micro-inverters
connect
to
each
individual
panel
–
maximising
the
system’s
overall
output,
but
also
increasing
the
upfront
cost.
Power
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