How to Monitor your Solar Output and Optimise your System
As South Africa embraces the renewable energy revolution, solar power emerges as a beacon of hope for homes and businesses alike. With unstable grid connections and soaring electricity tariffs, solar and backup systems have become the go to solution to keeping the lights on. For those who have chosen to join the green revolution, the question now is, how to maximise your energy production and get the best out of your system? Here are some practical ways;
1. Partnering with the Sun: Maximising Solar Output
A reputable company would have done a thorough site assessment on where your panels are now placed. Solar panel placement is the first and most important design step in ensuring maximum output from your panels. Now that your solar panels are up and running, are you getting the most out of them? Regularly ensuring there is no debris or soiling on the panels will guarantee maximum power generation. But optimization doesn’t end there. By scheduling energy-intensive tasks for the sunniest parts of the day and adding battery capacity for nighttime use, you can flatten your usage curve and maximise your solar power investment without changing your lifestyle.
2. Energising Your Home: The Power of Efficiency
Supercharge your energy savings by making your home more energy-efficient. This can be done through upgrading old high-electricity consuming appliances to more energy-efficient appliances. Insulating your home is another way to decrease the need for heaters, which are power guzzlers. Don’t forget to unplug devices in standby mode, especially phone chargers, and switch off non-essential items at the plug.
3. Tech Integrations: Making Managing Your Usage Easier
Off-the-shelf smart geyser timers are now available on the market to manage your geyser. Installing a smart geyser timer does not change the amount of energy it takes to heat up the water in your geyser – that remains the same. The trick is to reduce the amount of energy that is lost to the environment. A smart geyser saves heating energy (and money) by controlling when the water is heated up. This can be adjusted to your needs and time requirements, creating substantial bill savings.
Energy Monitoring Systems (EMS) like the Sunsynk app, can help you track your system’s performance, monitor your energy usage, and stay ahead of the game—all from the palm of your hand. With real-time insights and actionable data, you’ll be empowered to make smart energy decisions for your home. These applications allow you to also keep track of your panels’ power generation. This way, you know exactly when there is a fluctuation and can address the issue.
By staying on top of your energy usage, you can optimise your system and increase your bill savings. Join the green revolution and switch to sustainable energy today!
