Solar energy is a perennial source of energy. It may be lesser, or masked due to season, but it can never diminish. It is a natural energy source that does not dissipate carbon dioxide or other poisonous monoxides.
Solar panels are based on technologies that convert sunlight into electrical energy through photovoltaic (PV) panels. They have inbuilt mirrors that absorb infrared rays (heat) and concentrate solar radiation. This energy is ultimately used to generate electricity or is stored in batteries or thermal storage.
Smart Solar monitoring apps combine a complete solution with software and hardware with components like Data logger, Sensors, Inverter, Temperature sensors, Pyranometer, Energy log data logger, that send data to the server through SIM card, WiFi Internet, or LAN.
What is a Photovoltaic Cell?
(Image Source: https://science.nasa.gov/)
Photovoltaic diodes convert direct sunlight into electricity at atomic level. This is known as photoelectric effect (where photo means light). Solar panels capture free electrons and convert them into electric current.
How Do Solar Panels Work?
(1) Sunlight activates the panels
(2) The cells produce electrical current
(3) The electrical energy is converted
(4) The converted electricity powers your home/office premises
(5) A net meter measures usage
What is Cloud-Based Solar Panel Monitoring App?
- Solar monitoring app enables PV installers to remotely monitor the energy generation via mobile devices.
- Such applications let users monitor data in real-time, online data to keep up with the website’s performance and ensure maximum solar energy harvesting.
- Solar applications share details about the photo voltaic system output with other people on social media platforms.
- They feature a demo of How to install solar panels with intuitive dashboards.
- They acquaint the users with the energy production levels, present and past measurements, and real-time and forecasted weather data to evaluate the system’s performance.
- It offers module-level monitoring by making use of a physical layout view, and by periodically checking individual module performance.
Solar Panel Monitoring App (Dashboard)
App Interfaces of Solar Supervision Apps like Energy Monitoring & Analysis App (EMA), MySolarEdge Monitoring App, Enphase Enlighten App, and Fronius Solar.Web App, SMA Sunny Portal App may look like this:
(Image Source: https://i.pinimg.com)
Lesser Known Advantages of Solar Monitoring App
- Solar panel fittings have benefits that are not as obvious but are important:
- Zero energy production costs – Solar panels have zero maintenance and no additional costs or energy production costs despite a large initial investment.
- Less energy is lost as long-distance transportation can be prevented.
- It is easy to install and use solar panels.
- Solar energy production coincides with a period of maximum demand, which is between 11 AM till 4 PM. While the price of energy increases during times of peak demand, solar energy production reaches a maximum during that time slot.
- It leaves a positive imprint on the environment with zero water pollution, zero land pollution, and zero air pollution.
- Solar energy has no chances of blackouts and voltage dips. It improves security on the power grid against overloads or fires in transformer substations.
Better Known Advantages of Solar Energy Devices
Monitoring Power Usage: Solar monitoring app allow you to check the amount of solar energy your system harnesses. It indicates if your PV cells produce less energy than expected. In such a case hire an expert who can look into this matter.
Notifications: Solar panel apps push updates on emails for quick notifications about any potential system glitches. This allows you to periodically maintain the panel and avoid major damage.
Accessibility: Solar supervision apps impart accessibility while you are on move. People can access reports about systems performance and all related data while on move.
Applications of Solar Energy
Applications of Solar energy include – heating water, heating buildings, distillation, pumping water, drying agricultural and animal products, solar furnaces, solar cooking, solar electrical power generation, thermal power production, and solar greenhouses to grow plants.
5 Best Examples of Solar Panel Monitoring Apps
- Energy Monitoring & Analysis (EMA) App
- MySolarEdge Monitoring App
- Enlighten App from Enphase
- Fronius Solar.web App
- SMA Sunny Portal App
Features of Solar Panel Mobile Apps
The actual application can scale up to many more features, here are the basic ones:
- Customized Dashboard
- Load source
- Software – Energy Log
- Charging source
- Actual PV input power
- Actual PV input voltage
- Actual AC Output power
- Actual PV input ampers
- Actual AC Output active power
- Actual AC Output frequency
- Actual AC Output voltage
- Grid frequency
- Grid voltage
- Battery voltage
- Battery charging
- Battery capacity
- Battery discharging
- SCC charge status
- Input load from Utility or Battery in Watts
- Output load in percent
- Datalogger – Energy Log Modbus Beta
- Datalogger works with SIM 2G, 3G, and 4G, and also works with LAN and Wifi. Datalogger supports third-party sensors, inverters, and software.
- Sensors with RS 485 outputs (Solar radiation meter, Ambient temperature, Module temperature etc)
- Real-time analytics like Projected Generation V/S Actual Generation
- Alerts on deviation from Standard performance
- Automatic Reporting
- Performance Ratio and monitoring
Dataloggers can handle extreme climatic conditions, frequent internet connectivity issues, and data loss, and have in-built storage for 2 years. The data should never get lost in absence of the internet.
Modules in Smart Solar Monitoring App
- Custom Dashboard: It analyses data in periodic intervals from different sources like solar generation, solar radiation, module temperature, ambient temperature, wind speed, etc. It also features real-time graphs by adding the utility tariff plan.
Users get access based on authentication and authorization. They can be energy managers, financial officers, maintenance staff, and executive officers to understand data, create customizable views, aggregate data by filters, share dashboards between users and reduce the configuration time.
(Source: ecoenergies.co.in)
- Solar Plant Performance: Solar installers and service providers can monitor solar plants’ performance from their dashboards.
- Reports: To fetch basic and advanced reports periodically or as required. Users may set standard performance ratio ranges and compare their present consumption.
- Alerts: To allow sending push alerts based on location and profile. It also generates an alarm based if the ratio deviates from standard conditions and immediately sends an email or SMS.
(Source: https://ecoenergies.co.in)
How Do Solar Monitoring Apps Function?
Inverters supply real-time data to the Solar monitoring apps. Most of the time solar inverters have in-built monitoring software. They convert the Direct Current (DC) from the solar panels into the Alternate Current (AC) for home use. Inverters collect all information about the solar power production levels and pass them to the cloud-based monitoring servers/clients, and all compatible mobile devices. Homeowners can access this information through their smart devices paired with solar panel systems. These systems can even work in absence of an active internet connection. This enables glitch-free monitoring even in rough weather or power outages.
Over to You
Capturing solar energy may not be as complicated as rocket science, but it is definitely human ingenuity at its best. We have established our presence as one of the best mobile app development companies in India and can help you with solar software to monitor your solar panel system. Explore Solar Panel Monitoring App Development Cost and Duration at Konstant Infosolutions. Find out more!