Why solar doesn’t mean sacrifice

Making the most from your solar panels

• Getting them serviced. We service our cars, clean our homes and upgrade software on our computers and smartphones. When it comes to energy, we’re increasingly doing the same. For panels – that aren’t as obvious when they break down – getting a check-up now and again helps to ensure you’re getting the most from your investment.
• Being conscious of where they’re located. Neglecting your panels can lead to soiling – dust and dirt that can affect how efficiently they run. To ensure panels aren’t underperforming, make sure they’re free from the shade and clean them. Be conscious of what’s happening around your home (if your neighbours are building, for example, there’s likely to be more dust in the air).
• Monitoring them. Some things will be out of your control, like potential induced degradation (also known as PID) and earth linkage. While these are uncommon (but known in the energy industry), some solar systems will suffer from these faults.

The influence of a data-obsessed society

We can track almost everything. We use Fitbits to tell us how many steps we take, health apps to tell us how many calories we eat and music apps to tell us what album to download next.

Solar monitoring is similar – it can record and analyse your solar system’s performance in real-time and tells you how much solar energy you’re using and producing. Through self-learning algorithms, plus a lot of other sophisticated diagnostic techniques, it can process large volumes of data and provide useful information.

So what does this mean for the average Aussie? The connected home could be much closer than we think.

Monitoring savings

Analytics and data provide information to help us live our lives with more ease and control. This type of control can lead to savings, but it doesn’t have to come at the cost of comfort.

Solar monitoring allows you to optimise your energy usage. It helps you understand how much it is using and whether you can shift its usage a little bit to save you money without actually decreasing your home comfort.

There are other things we can do that aren’t reliant on solar. Simple initiatives like switching to LED lights are not only better for the environment but our wallets, too.

From 1941 to today

Advancements in solar have been consistent for decades – providing incremental improvements year after year. The reality has been a gradual process that’s been worth the wait.