We have ‘smartwatches’ and ‘smart appliances’ in our home, why not a ‘smart solar’ energy system?
What is ‘smart solar’?
When we refer to a ‘smart solar’ energy system, we mean a solar energy system that is run through a solar inverter and connected with a smart meter. Together they supply real-time data on the performance of your energy system.
What is a solar inverter?
A solar inverter is the brains of your energy system. We’d recommend a great, reliable brand like SMA, Solaredge or Fronius.
What is a smart meter?
A smart meter is a monitoring system that monitors energy use from your solar system, what isn’t used and what is sent to the grid (if applicable)
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Your solar inverter manages the solar energy system, it converts the direct current into alternating current and becomes electricity. We’ve written before about what a solar inverter does.
- It converts solar energy into electricity
- It provides real-time data on the energy supplied
- It protects the grid from over-voltage
All new solar inverters sold in Australia are now required to come with a monitoring dashboard that enables you to view the performance of your solar energy system and ensure it’s providing the levels of energy you need or expect. It can supply this information to your phone, so you can monitor your energy system even when you’re not at home.
It’s incredible and provides a level of transparency that wasn’t available until technology caught up recently. We love showing our customers their new dashboards and teaching them how to monitor their system’s performance. It’s fascinating to watch the energy your solar system generates for your home or business.
A ‘smart meter’ measures continuous electricity use and provides consistent information throughout the day to your smart device on the energy use within your property.
By combining a ‘smart inverter’ and a ‘smart meter’ you make a ‘smart solar energy system’ that enables you to adjust your energy consumption to match your solar energy supply and modify your demands accordingly.
In previous decades solar inverters were installed without this technology (because it didn’t exist). That mean solar energy system owners didn’t know how much energy their homes or businesses were using and how much energy their systems were generating. Were they generating as much as they needed? In some cases, many Australian homes were generating enough but sending as much as 50% of their generated solar energy to the grid as they were underestimating how much their property used. Now, when combining your interval energy bill with a ‘smart solar’ energy inverter you have a full understanding of the energy your property needs and how much you’re generating – it’s no longer guesswork and you can maximise the value of your solar energy system and see a faster return on investment.
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