Modern grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage inverters are designed with control capabilities that can support and/or enhance the existing global grid infrastructure. Inverter-based generation is growing today in the residential, commercial, and utility segments. This article will explore how modern inverter controls can have a positive effect on today's evolving electrical grids in the utility sector. I will examine the inverter protection mechanisms used to keep dc-side and ac-side faults from causing damage to the inverter. Inverter grid supporting functions, along with voltage and frequency ride-through, provide key behaviors that both support and enhance grid reliability. Today's PV and energy storage inverters can be deployed individually and in a mixed design, affording plant designers options for energy capture and grid support. The following topics are as general as possible with some unavoidable linkage to SMA inverters.