If you have a solar array you may want to better understand the electricity it is generating and sending to the grid, if applicable, versus what your actual consumption is. You may also want to ensure that you are receiving the correct amount of green energy credits from your utility provider.
Before you dive into the below-mentioned, please read this blog post. It explains the 6 things you should double-check before proceeding.
Note: If you are sending surplus electricity from your solar array to the grid, and think you should be receiving credits for having done so, please reach out to your utility company regarding how they are calculating the credits on your bill. Axium Solar does not have access to this information unfortunately, and they won’t release that information to anyone but the account holder – you! We can guide you through how to create reports that you can analyze, however. To learn how, keep reading..
When comparing data, be sure the dates are exact. In other words, the dates on the utility bill that you receive in the mail should line up with the data you export from your solar monitoring portal. You may have to manipulate the data via an Excel spreadsheet to line up the dates in question.
kWh is the billing unit commonly used by most electricity providers. The total energy in kilowatt hours is the power in kilowatts multiplied by the time in hours.
It can be helpful to create graphs within your spreadsheet, as it will allow you visualize trends.
If you’re not sure how much energy your system should be producing, you can enter your array’s specs at PVWatts to create a report and get a rough idea: PVWatts Calculator. This is especially helpful if you’ve just bought a house that has solar on it.
New Home Buyers: You might ask the seller for a copy of the blueprints/drawings, datasheets and the warranty documentation for the inverter(s), racking and modules. The blueprints/drawings should show you specs pertaining to the materials which will be helpful when entering information at the PVWatts website. Datasheets will show same, but are particularly helpful when understanding module and inverter efficiency and rating. The warranty documentation will come in handy if anything needs to be replaced.
Did you know that in the State of Texas, most residents can choose their own electricity provider? Navigate to Power To Choose and see if you can find a better rate than you’re currently paying. Also, here is information pertaining to the purchase of renewable energy and selling excess renewable power.
If you find that you are consuming too much energy, here are some helpful tips to help you conserve and save energy.
New to solar array monitoring? Navigate to this page to learn more.
If you have solar array monitoring, but it’s not communicating data, navigate here to learn how to troubleshoot the issue.