• Solar panels must be connected to a solar inverter in order for the energy to be used.Johannes Kroemer/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  The power collected by solar panels is direct current (DC). The electrical current that a home or office operates on is alternating current (AC). To enable a home to use the energy collected from solar panels, a solar inverter must be installed between the panels and the home's electrical system. The job of the solar inverter is to change the direct current into alternating current. Solar inverters can be bought online or from electrical service companies, and there are many solar inverter companies to choose from.
  
  

Solectria Renewables

• Solectria Renewables was founded in 2005 under the Solectria Corporation umbrella. The Solectria Corporation has been working in the solar-power industry for more than 20 years. Solectria Renewables took over the manufacturing of residential, commercial and utility-grade solar products. The focus of Solectria Renewables is development of solar power as a renewable energy source. The solar inverters that are produced by Solectria Renewables are manufactured in the United States. According to the company's website, the inverters are American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)-compliant and meet UL 1741/IEEE1547 listing certifications.
  
  

KACO New Energy

• According to the KACO website, KACO New Energy began 2010 as the second-largest manufacturer of solar inverters in the world. KACO New Energy has been in the solar-power industry for more than 60 years, long before solar power became a household buzzword. The dedicated focus of the company is still the development and advancement of solar power and solar inverters. KACO New Energy is based in Europe. However, they have developed a line of solar inverters that meet the power grid specifications for the United States' market.
  
  

OutBack Power

• Headquartered in Arlington, Washington, OutBack Power has taken its solar-power applications and products into challenging environmental conditions and remote locations. OutBack Power takes pride in being able to provide power to locations so remote that traditional electrical grids cannot reach them. Through the use of OutBack Power's solar panels and solar inverters, these remote locations have power. Although the solar inverters that OutBack Power produces are capable of standing up to the harsh environmental conditions of remote Alaska, they are rated and accepted for use in urban areas, as well.