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Small scale hydropower has a considerable untapped potential, able to contribute to the increased energy demand. The integration of these systems into microgrids is an emerging solution for the electrification of remote areas and for self-sustainable power systems. This paper is devoted to the design optimization of grid-connected pico-hydro systems using conventional photovoltaic inverters, providing cost effective solutions able to explore a large amount of feasible sites. Experimental tests of the proposed innovative topology with two inverters and selected generators were performed, evaluating the performance in steady state and dynamic conditions, corroborate the proposed design procedure.