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Grid-tie vs hybrid solar
Two great setups for Kiwi homes. The right one depends on how you use power and whether you want battery backup.
Grid-tie solar connects to both your panels and the grid — you use free solar by day and grid power at night, and export any excess for credit. It's the most cost-effective option for most homes. Hybrid solar adds a battery, so you also store daytime solar for the evening and keep essential power running during outages — for greater independence at a higher upfront cost.
Side by side
How they compare
| Feature | Grid-tie | Hybrid (solar + battery) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Use solar at night | From the grid | From your battery |
| Backup during outages | No | Yes (essential circuits) |
| Self-consumption | ~35% | ~70% |
| Best for | Most homes, daytime users | Evening users, outage-prone areas |
Most popular
Grid-tie is the cost-effective starting point
For most Kiwi homes, a grid-tied system delivers the strongest return — and you can always add a PylonTech battery later to go hybrid.
Explore battery storage →
Not sure which?
We'll recommend the right setup
Tell us how you use power and we'll show you the numbers for both — no pressure.