# DC Coupling

A storage architecture in which the PV array and the battery share the same DC bus inside a single hybrid inverter, so solar energy charges the battery without first being converted to AC. Only the energy actually consumed or exported passes through the DC-to-AC stage.

Source: https://inverterdata.com/en/glossary/dc-coupling/
Site: InverterData (inverterdata.com) — open technical specification database
Last updated: 2026-08-24
License: free to quote with attribution to inverterdata.com

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Removing a conversion step makes DC coupling the more efficient option for solar energy destined for storage, and it allows the array to be oversized against the AC rating while still capturing the surplus into the battery instead of clipping it. The trade-off is a tighter architecture: PV and battery are bound to one hybrid unit, expansion is limited by that unit's ratings, and retrofitting onto an existing PV system usually means replacing the inverter. New-build systems designed around storage from the start commonly choose DC coupling for this reason.