Inverters

A power inverter, or inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).
The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and overall power handling depend on the design of the specific device or circuitry. The inverter does not produce any power; the power is provided by the DC source.
A power inverter can be entirely electronic or may be a combination of mechanical effects (such as a rotary apparatus) and electronic circuitry. Static inverters do not use moving parts in the conversion process.
A grid-tie inverter (GTI) is a special type of inverter that converts direct current electricity into alternating current electricity and feeds it into an existing electrical grid.

GTIs are often used to convert direct current produced by many renewable energy sources

Such as solar panels or small wind turbines, into the alternating current used to power homes and businesses.

The technical name for a grid-tie inverter is "grid-interactive inverter". They may also be called synchronous inverters.

Grid-interactive inverters typically cannot be used in standalone applications where utility power is not available.