Initially, homeowners installed solar panels but obtained no information on how the setup was performing. The system’s solar inverter may have a read-out of power production, but more information remained hard to obtain.
Many solar systems now have monitoring features. This helps home and office users examine solar panel production using both real-time and descriptive statistics, making it simple to identify and troubleshoot issues.
There are several types of solar monitoring systems, most of which are linked to solar inverters. Another alternative is a plug-in device that provides monitoring features to your existing solar installation.
Isn’t my power bill supposed to demonstrate how well my solar system performed?
The majority of electric utilities reimburse their consumers for surplus solar energy. This indicates that your invoice will include a credit for solar power produced. However, the figure does not represent overall energy generation.
As a result, it is safe to assume that the utility statement simply shows the surplus and does not tell how much energy from the sun your appliances consumed. This is why it’s essential to keep an eye on your solar system.
How do solar energy monitoring technologies work?
A solar monitoring system is normally driven by the inverter of the solar array. Most manufacturers sell their inverters with unique, built-in diagnostic software.
Depending on the configuration, solar monitoring can provide you with historical and actual statistics including everything from how much power your panels produce to how much you need from the power network.
Third-party solar monitoring technologies, on the other hand, can provide a more in-depth examination of your system’s health and productivity. It can also notify you about system faults that you would otherwise overlook until you get an unusually high utility bill.
Modern solar system monitoring platforms
Modern third-party monitoring systems and apps analyze and present performance data using clever algorithms. While there are numerous options, they can be broadly classified into two categories: SLM and PLM.
These monitoring devices use actual solar and national energy data to calculate what your electricity bill should be. This could include the daily supply rate, time-of-use costs, weekday vs. weekend tariff rates, and other factors.
