What is the purpose of an inverter in an active solar panel system?

Convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).

An inverter converts the raw direct current (DC) solar power that is produced by your solar panels into the alternating current (AC) power that comes out of your wall sockets. Essentially, the inverter is responsible for converting solar power into a version that can be used to power all of the things that we use (toasters, microwaves, etc). Inverters also have technology that maximizes the power output of the DC energy.