SolarEdge, originally founded in 2006, has quickly become one of the dominant players in the market for both inverters and DC optimisers.
The company is best known for producing highly optimised, premium-level inverters. It’s no surprise then that SolarEdge has produced its own “SolarEdge Monitoring” software for solar system management.
SolarEdge Monitoring is an application that provides solar users and installers with a health and performance overview of each installation. It offers detailed insights into energy production, power flow, and energy savings.
With electricity costs on the rise, solar investment is a wise means of reducing your carbon footprint while saving on electricity bills. However, if you lack the tools for monitoring your system performance over time, you may not achieve the best result from your solar installation.
Thankfully, SolarEdge Monitoring is one of the most comprehensive, technically precise monitoring platforms currently available to the Australian market; gone are the days when monitoring your system’s health and performance was an arduous task.
This post will review SolarEdge Monitoring, how it operates, what sets it apart from other monitoring apps, and more.
Let’s get into it!
What is SolarEdge Monitoring?
SolarEdge Monitoring is a cloud-based application enabling PV installers and users to view real-time data of their solar installation. With this app installed on your device, you can remotely monitor your solar installations directly from anywhere.
Solar monitoring is becoming increasingly popular for solar system users who travel frequently, and the SolarEdge app is a great enabler.
It doesn’t matter if users are at home or on the go; with the SolarEdge app, you can track the performance of each installation, including the energy your system produces over time.
For example, if panel 1.1.12 underperforms against panel 1.1.9 during peak sunlight hours, the SolarEdge Monitoring system will alert you for quick troubleshooting.
Whatever the concern, your system will alert you, and you can receive personalised support over the phone from a technician who can assess the problem.
How SolarEdge Monitoring Works
Once you download the app to your device and set things up, you gain access to your SolarEdge Monitoring system, where you can easily track your solar production and consumption.
Once logged in, you’ll see your SolarEdge Monitoring dashboard, including your site details, system overview, real-time power flow, power energy chart, comparative energy chart, and environmental benefits.
This last part is key; renewable energy boasts a range of financial and environmental benefits to users who switch over to solar power.
Let’s discuss each of the features SolarEdge Monitoring users can enjoy.
- Site Details
You can view this on the left-hand side of the dashboard with the installer logo, site image, address, last update, etc.
- System Overview
This displays energy today, energy this month, the total system lifetime energy, and even lifetime revenue.
- Real-time Power Flow
This shows your solar production, household consumption, grid export, import, and battery charge and discharge status if you’ve equipped your system with storage.
- Power and Energy Chart
This chart illustrates the detail of power and energy production on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly resolution.
You can also set your solar energy data to match your electricity billing cycle and view energy data per cycle.
The first section of the power and energy chart presents the self-consumption element for both system production and system consumption.
The image above depicts that the production self-consumption is 44%, while 56% is exported to the grid. In other words, 44% of the solar energy produced was used to power the home load.
From a consumption perspective, 62% of the energy used to power the home load came from solar production. Meanwhile, only 38% was imported from the grid that month.
- Comparative Energy Chart
This chart portrays the year-over-year comparison allowing you to analyse current and past performance on a monthly, quarterly, and yearly basis.
Monitoring Dashboard
SolarEdge has spared no expense in using its panel-level monitoring to its full potential; filling its platform with various features that help homeowners reduce costs and increase output.
SolarEdge’s monitoring software is so powerful that it’s capable of managing large-scale commercial systems as well as small-scale residential installs. The dashboard is comprehensive, with everything from remote service calls to production playback available to access.
From the energy chart above, the weekly view shows information from the previous seven days. Green represents the power generated from the sun, red represents the home load consumption, and blue represents self-consumption. SolarEdge will also display the energy level on the dashboard if a battery is connected to your system.
What’s more, you can download all your data to your computer by clicking ‘Export as CSV.’
When you click on ‘Month’ to view the monthly energy view, you will see the export/import chart below the energy production chart. This chart summarises the energy exported into the grid and imported from the grid.
For those that wish to reduce their carbon footprint, the bottom-left-hand side of the dashboard shows your site’s positive impact. From the image above, this user saved 8,000 kg worth of CO2 emissions in almost four years, equivalent to 28.31 trees planted.
Why Should You Get a Consumption Metre?
A consumption metre allows you to monitor your solar system performance, energy generation, and usage. Having the data recorded by a consumption metre can help you identify periods when energy consumption is highest, providing insights into the changes you can make to reduce your energy bills.
Many consumers are unaware of how much energy they consume and how they can save time and resources using smart software like SolarEdge Monitoring.
As it stands, the price of electricity in Australia (and elsewhere) is likely to continue rising, costing homes and businesses more dollars per wattage.
A 2021 report by the Australian Energy Market Commission Electricity Price Trends states that the average annual electricity bill across Australia was up $100 from the previous year to $1,776, with an average charge of 34.41 cents per kilowatt-hour – an average increase of 4 cents of the prior year.
As a result, it’s crucial to monitor your energy usage, or you might overspend, leaving less money available for other essential expenditures.
In addition, if you invest a large sum in a comprehensive solar system installation, do it properly to avoid spending more later on. And investing in a smart monitoring system such as SolarEdge Monitoring will help make your solar system more efficient, saving you time, money, and stress.
What is the Cost for SolarEdge Monitoring?
Unlike many other monitoring systems in the marketplace, SolarEdge offers a subscription-free model to monitor systems performance down to the module level. Best of all, it’s free for the duration of the system’s life 25-year life span!
What Sets SolarEdge Monitoring Apart from Other Solar Monitoring Apps?
There are three main types of solar monitoring systems, and what makes SolarEdge Monitoring distinct from these other monitoring systems are:
- Single panel-level monitoring capabilities with a web portal and mobile app for accessing your solar production data.
- A sleek and intuitive app interface.
- Subscription-free, unlike many other apps in the marketplace.
- Despite its high quality and features, the app is more affordable than many other monitoring systems.
- It delivers real-time data, unlike other apps which are often just re-skinned versions of equipment manufacturer offerings and only provide day-after data, no real-time tracking.
SolarEdge Monitoring Installation
As a home or business owner, the most straightforward way to install SolarEdge Monitoring is to get a certified installer to perform the installation.
Instyle Solar is an accredited solar installer for Australian users, with a glowing track record of successful installations from our customers.
To that end, we will take you through the step-by-step process of what your installer does to get you set up on the SolarEdge Monitoring platform.
Step 1: Register your Account
- Your system installer will register your system and add you as the system owner.
- Once your installer starts the process, you will receive an email request with a link to a form you must fill in.
Step 2: Activate your Account
- Click the link in the invitation email sent to you.
- Enter your details in the registration form displayed and select the required checkboxes.
- Click ‘Save’ to complete the registration process and get access to your solar system.
- A “Thank You” page will soon appear. Click ‘Log in to the Monitoring Platform’ that appears below it.
Step 3: Launch the SolarEdge Monitoring Platform
- Go to https://monitoring.solaredge.com.
- On the SolarEdge website, click the Monitoring Platform and log in using the email and password you listed in the registration form.
- If more than one site is assigned to you, the list of your SolarEdge sites appears in the ‘Site List’ on the Home Page. However, if only one site is available, then the site’s dashboard is automatically displayed.
Step 4: User Settings
Click the dropdown arrow beside your username and select ‘User Settings.’ The User Settings window will display as shown below.
Fill in the following information:
- First name,
- Last name,
- Email,
- Phone number,
- Zip code,
- Home address line 1,
- Home address line 2,
- Country,
- Change password (click and modify if necessary), and
- System units: metric or imperial.
Step 5: Language Settings
- Select the language you want the monitoring platform to display. When you change the language, the localised data changes automatically, including numbers, currency, and date formats.
- Click ‘Save,’ and you’re good to go!
SolarEdge Monitoring’s Compatibility with Solar Systems
SolarEdge Monitoring is compatible with a wide range of non-SolarEdge inverters. Its safety and monitoring interface allows module-level monitoring of systems using inverter brands other than SolarEdge.
SolarEdge Monitoring Pros and Cons
The advantages and disadvantages of installing the SolarEdge Monitoring application are summarised below:
Pros:
- Access real-time data on your energy consumption and production levels.
- Receive a comprehensive overview of your system output, including comparing current production to previous data.
- The mobile-friendly interface enables you to keep track of your system’s performance.
- Remotely control your household appliances and charge your electric vehicle.
- Make informed schedules to optimise your energy savings.
- SolarEdge’s platform is free and included with every inverter, unlike most third-party monitoring apps.
Cons:
- No scope to control the charging behaviour.
- System management could be unnecessarily technical for some users.
Is SolarEdge Monitoring Worth it?
SolarEdge is one of the only inverter manufacturers offering integrated software that allows for panel-level monitoring and management.
This app is a top-tier solution for homeowners interested in ongoing technical support and maintenance. From sending homeowners email alerts when things go awry to granting installers backend access to conduct remote support, SolarEdge has developed a product with convenience at the forefront.
For those of you out there interested in the data analytics side, SolarEdge also gives you access to months of data and live reports as your panels produce free and clean energy.
It goes without saying that SolarEdge is also a highly reputable company; its products have a high standing for performance and reliability in addition to the free monitoring its app provides for your system’s life span.
Are you a homeowner or business looking to invest in solar? In that case, SolarEdge Monitoring is a sound choice; one of the best software systems in the marketplace, boasting features that other monitoring systems don’t even consider.
Next Steps…
By clicking below, you can use our smart solar calculator to find out just how much you could save with solar, what rebate you are eligible for, and your impact on the environment.
Don’t wait until next quarter’s bloated bill, and get started today!
Click here to calculate your solar savings!
Join over 20,000 homeowners who have made the switch with Instyle Solar or the 1000+ positive reviewers who have been more than happy with their solar install.
Otherwise, you can contact us on 1300 133 556 or email us at sales@instylesolar.com.au.
