Inverters convert your solar panel's direct circuit (DC) to alternating current (AC) which is what your home and the grid use in the United States. Both options allow for per-panel monitoring. The difference is that with microinverters each solar panel gets it's own dedicated inverter. With string inverters the power gets converted in one central location. With SolarEdge string inverter systems however, each solar panel also needs an additional piece of equipment called a power optimizer, to make sure each panel is producing power independently from one another.