While panel quality and efficiency are critical, pairing them with the right inverter is just as important. In fact, the inverter acts as the “brain” of your system—converting the DC electricity generated by solar panels into usable AC power for your home or business. . The short answer? Neither is “better” on its own. Solar panels and inverters are two sides of the same coin, working together to turn sunlight into usable electricity. The article elaborates on the importance of choosing the right inverter type—string, micro. . String inverters have one centralized inverter — or, keeping with the metaphor — one central currency exchange station.