A method for initializing the power inverter (105,305,505) of a photovoltaic system (100,300,500) comprising a solar cell array (101,301,501), comprising: opening an alternating current AC mains switch (107,307,507) and a direct current DC switch (102,302,502), wherein opening the AC mains switch (107,307,507) disconnects the power (105,305,505) from an electrical grid (109,30,509), and wherein opening the DC switch (102,302,502) disconnects a DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) associated with a power inverter (105,305,505) from the solar cell array (101,301,501) to prevent the solar cell array (101,301,501) from charging the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504); closing the AC mains switch (107,307,507) to allow power to flow from the electrical grid (109,30,509) to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) connected to the power inverter (105,305,505) to charge the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504); monitoring the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) until a desired power-up voltage (V power up) for the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) is reached; initiating the operation of the power inverter (105,305,505) such that the power inverter (105,305,505) begins to receive DC voltage from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) responsive to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) being charged up to the power up voltage (V power up) of the power inverter (105,305,505); stabilizing the DC voltage received from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) at the power up voltage (V power up) for the power inverter (105,305,505), the power up voltage (V power up) of the power inverter (105,305,505) being greater than a maximum output voltage (V max) of the solar cell array and less than an open circuit voltage (V oc) for the solar cell array (101,301,501) without a load connected to the solar cell array (101,301,501); closing the DC switch (102,302,502) to allow the solar cell array (101,301,501) to provide DC power to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) to charge the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) when the DC voltage received from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) has been stabilized at the power-up voltage (V power up) such that the solar cell array (101,301,501) provides a constant power up current to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) to minimize transient overshooting of the power-up voltage (V power up); waiting for an inverter initialization period to elapse; and adjusting DC voltage received by power inverter (105,305,505) to the maximum output voltage (V max). opening an alternating current AC mains switch (107,307,507) and a direct current DC switch (102,302,502), wherein opening the AC mains switch (107,307,507) disconnects the power (105,305,505) from an electrical grid (109,30,509), and wherein opening the DC switch (102,302,502) disconnects a DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) associated with a power inverter (105,305,505) from the solar cell array (101,301,501) to prevent the solar cell array (101,301,501) from charging the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504); closing the AC mains switch (107,307,507) to allow power to flow from the electrical grid (109,30,509) to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) connected to the power inverter (105,305,505) to charge the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504); monitoring the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) until a desired power-up voltage (V power up) for the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) is reached; initiating the operation of the power inverter (105,305,505) such that the power inverter (105,305,505) begins to receive DC voltage from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) responsive to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) being charged up to the power up voltage (V power up) of the power inverter (105,305,505); stabilizing the DC voltage received from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) at the power up voltage (V power up) for the power inverter (105,305,505), the power up voltage (V power up) of the power inverter (105,305,505) being greater than a maximum output voltage (V max) of the solar cell array and less than an open circuit voltage (V oc) for the solar cell array (101,301,501) without a load connected to the solar cell array (101,301,501); closing the DC switch (102,302,502) to allow the solar cell array (101,301,501) to provide DC power to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) to charge the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) when the DC voltage received from the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) has been stabilized at the power-up voltage (V power up) such that the solar cell array (101,301,501) provides a constant power up current to the DC capacitor bank (104,304,504) to minimize transient overshooting of the power-up voltage (V power up); waiting for an inverter initialization period to elapse; and adjusting DC voltage received by power inverter (105,305,505) to the maximum output voltage (V max).