System Monitoring: It’s Necessary! 

System monitoring is crucial for understanding and maximizing the production of your solar energy system. By monitoring your system, you gain valuable information about the output of your solar panels, panel performance throughout different seasons, hardware defects, and energy consumption. This information helps you identify and troubleshoot any issues with your system, as well as determine the most productive hours of the day.

Intro To Inverters

To begin monitoring your solar energy system, it’s important to familiarize yourself with your system’s inverter. The inverter plays a key role in converting the direct current (DC) energy generated by the sun into alternating current (AC) energy that can be used in your home. Additionally, inverters track panel health and can indicate if any panels require maintenance due to substandard production.

There are several reputable inverter manufacturers in the market, such as Enphase, SolarEdge, and Tesla. Each of these manufacturers provides their own monitoring app: the Enphase Installer Portal, mySolarEdge app, and Tesla app, respectively. These apps allow you to access real-time data about your system’s performance, including energy production, panel health, and maintenance alerts

Energy Optimization Strategies

By closely monitoring your energy usage, you can identify the peak hours of production and the periods when your appliances consume the most energy. This information is especially useful if you have an electric vehicle charger connected to the internet. With system monitoring software, you can determine the peak energy hours and schedule your vehicle to charge during those times, maximizing the use of solar energy.

Another benefit of system monitoring is the ability to optimize your energy usage and combat your utility company’s Time-Of-Use (TOU) billing policy. TOU billing charges higher rates for electricity during the most popular hours of the day, typically in the afternoon and evening. By knowing these expensive hours, you can strategically plan to charge your electric vehicle and energy storage units during the cheapest hours, reducing your overall electricity costs.

Maintaining Your Solar Investment 

Regularly checking your solar system’s monitoring data allows you to maintain your investment effectively. Pay attention to module health and energy production history. If you notice that some panels are underperforming or your system is not producing as much energy as expected, it may be time for maintenance. Our friends at Sun Service Specialists can help troubleshoot any issues with your solar energy system and provide appropriate solutions to ensure optimal performance.

In summary, system monitoring provides valuable insights into your solar energy system’s production, panel health, and energy consumption. By understanding your system’s monitoring data, you can optimize energy usage, reduce costs, and maintain the performance of your solar investment.

Tesla Powerwall 2

Everyone knows what it feels like to lose power. Lights start flickering and suddenly that show you were on the edge of your seat watching goes blank. Then, you go into panic mode wondering how long the outage will last and how long you will be without essential appliances like refrigerators, air conditioning, internet and medical equipment. Power outages can become a worry of the past with a Tesla Powerwall battery. When paired with a solar energy system, the Tesla Powerwall stores any unused energy the solar system produces so your home has the necessary power on standby in the case of an outage. 

The Tesla Powerwall 2 stores AC energy from solar energy systems that can be used for self-consumption, time-based control, and backup during storms. Customers who are interested in managing how their energy is used can set times for the powerwall to supply key appliances like refrigerators, microwaves, electric stoves and ovens. Tesla vehicle owners can even pair a Wall Connector with a Powerwall to use as the main bank for at home electric vehicle charging. 

$500 Rebate Per Powerwall

Customers who purchase and register a Tesla Powerwall from June 15th until October 31st will be able to take advantage of a $500 rebate per Powerwall. Owners of a new Tesla Powerwall can redeem this rebate in the Tesla App starting on August 1st and ending November 30th. Since Summer is here, now is a better time than ever to invest in a Tesla Powerwall. Whether you are interested in a solar energy system or want to add energy storage to your solar system, you will be able to take advantage of this $500 rebate for a limited time.

*The Tesla Powerwall Rebate can only be received if a Tesla Powerwall is installed and registered by Tesla by October 1st, 2023.

Take Advantage Now With Renu!

As the most tenured and largest Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer in the Carolinas, Renu Energy Solutions has a team of licensed electricians in North Carolina and South Carolina that can deliver and install your Tesla Powerwall. We are confident in providing you with the best energy storage installation so your home is prepared to not have any power outages.

Interested in a solar and energy storage system? Let Renu Energy Solutions be your installer, our team of solar experts can help design and install the perfect solar energy system to fit your needs. Investing in solar now is another great way to take advantage of Tesla’s $500 Powerwall rebate. Tesla Powerwalls included in solar installations are valid through the current rebate. To learn more about solar energy for your home, click here!

North Carolina-based Renu Energy Solutions installed the rooftop solar system. The panels are estimated to generate close to 485,000 kWh of on-site, carbon-free electricity in the first year. North Carolinaranks fourth nationally in total solar installed capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) tabulations. The Truliant operations center rooftop installation is the first such solar project at Hanes Mall. The credit union also has installed a building management and energy efficiency series of upgrades, including LED lighting for interiors and parking lots, as well as HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) improvements.

To continue reading more about Renu Energy Solutions’ Truliant Project, read the EnergyTech article here! 

What Are Inverters?

Investing in a solar system is a big decision that requires a consultation, system design phase, and installation. Most solar energy systems have a warranted lifespan of 25 years, so it’s imperative that customers choose the right components that match with what they want to get out of their system. Most customers focus on components like panels and energy storage units, but inverters play a big role in how a customer keeps track of their system’s production.

Inverters convert the direct current (DC) of energy that solar panels produce from sunlight into alternating current (AC) of energy that can be used in the home for appliances and electronics. While this function may seem pretty basic, there are two main types of inverters that customers can choose from.

Optimizers vs Microinverters

The two main types of inverters that residential customers tend to go with are optimizers and microinverters. Optimizers have a central inverter that is located on the side of the house while microinverters have smaller inverters located underneath each panel.

One of the main benefits of choosing an optimizer for your solar energy system is the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). MPPT ensures that customers get the most out of each panel, even if some panels are shaded at any point during the day. A SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverter allows for panel level monitoring and home energy consumption monitoring so customers can see how their produced energy is being used. The SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverter also uses one main inverter on the side of the house that is easy to install, easy to troubleshoot, lightweight, smaller in size, and high in efficiency. As DC energy gets converted to AC energy on the side of the home that work is done usually in a cooler temperature which makes the inverter work more efficient and increases the product life. SolarEdge uses string inverters + power optimizers that help maximize production from panels. On top of production, SolarEdge inverters utilize a feature called SafeDC which shuts down DC voltage in the event of an emergency.

A primary benefit of choosing microinverters for your solar energy system is that microinverters convert DC energy to AC energy directly underneath each individual panel. Having inverters located underneath the panels allows for monitoring of each individual panel. If one microinverter failed, other microinverters in the system would stay active, allowing customers to easily identify which panel is having issues. Enphase Microinverters have a feature called Sunlight Backup which stores energy in each microinverter in case there is a power outage. With Sunlight Backup, customers keep their low power loads on during an outage without the need of an energy storage unit. During the case of a system expansion, additional microinverters attach underneath new panels without the need to make adjustments to other microinverters in the system.

Photo courtesy of Ornate Solar

Which Inverter Option Is Best For My System?

Choosing between different system components can be a challenge as each solar system is unique depending on what the customers needs are. One system may benefit from a SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverter while the other may benefit from utilizing Enphase Microinverters. 

Customers installing a larger solar system would benefit from using a SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverter as the system requires fewer units than microinverters. Having a centralized inverter vs individual inverters makes for a cost effective solution. Along with cost, SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverters utilize power optimization that has a track record of being reliable since they’ve been on the market for a long time. Besides historic success, SolarEdge Single-Phase Inverters are warranted out-of-the-box for up to 12 years with the option to upgrade to 25 years. 

For smaller systems with more complex designs and intermittent shade, customers would benefit from using Enphase Microinverters. Since microinverters don’t use string inverters during the installation process, systems have more room for different array layouts and expansions down the road. 

Interested In Going Solar?

Investing in a solar energy system means you’re investing in energy independence that brings savings and clean energy down the road. Would you like to find out if solar is right for you? Click our link here to get in touch with a solar energy consultant who can help get you the right system with the right components for a smart, reliable, solar investment.

Save This Summer

Summer is here and so is the sun! Summertime means warmer weather, longer days, and time spent outside with family and friends. While this season brings fun in the sun, it also brings bigger air conditioning (A/C) costs making your energy bill more expensive than any other time of the year. With a solar energy system, homeowners can save money on their A/C costs by producing their own power. However, there are other ways to cut down A/C costs without the production of energy that a solar energy system provides. Whether you’ve had solar for years or are interested in getting a quote for your home, these energy saving habits will help reduce the impact cooling has on your energy bill.

Adjust Your Thermostat For Outings

We all have that temperature that we are comfortable with during the Summer. Some like keeping their temperature as cold as they can compared to outdoor temperatures, but that temperature doesn’t need to be set at all times. Christina Kielich, spokesperson for the U.S Department of Energy, recommends programming your thermostat to match the outdoor temperature when residents aren’t home. Keeping your thermostat set to the outdoor temperature could cut your A/C costs down anywhere from 10%-18% for the entire Summer. Energy customers can save even more by matching the outside temperature at night when members in the home aren’t active. The closer you get to matching the temperature outside with the thermostat, the more you can maximize your savings!

Check Air Filters

While optimizing your thermostat and A/C system is a great way to save, there is more to maintaining low A/C costs than keeping track of temperatures. Air conditioning systems need to be checked on and maintained. One of the most proactive steps you can take to maintain your A/C is checking and changing the air filters. Clogged air filters make cooling your home difficult, and the air coming through the vents are filled with dust and debris that can contribute to health issues like allergies and asthma. Central cooling systems outside of homes should be checked on as well, and the floor vents should be free of any dust or furniture blocking the airflow. Regardless of what kind of system exists in the home, residents should check their filters monthly, and even get a professional to inspect cooling systems annually.

Bring Out The Fans!

Fans do not necessarily turn down the temperature in a room, but they do make a room feel seven degrees colder. Both ceiling fans and plug-in fans assist with blowing cool air from the A/C. Residents can even turn their thermostat four degrees warmer with fans turned on and likely not notice a difference in air temperature. Changing the thermostat four degrees while having fans on can help cut 17 cents per hour off your A/C bill. Ceiling fans cost only one penny an hour, so get those fans running and start saving! Additionally, fans are easier to keep powered for a longer time period with energy storage in the event of a grid outage than A/C units.

Take Breaks From Certain Appliances

Using certain appliances in the home can contribute to higher A/C costs by raising the temperature inside. Appliances like stovetops, dryers, and dishwashers increase internal temperatures and use more electricity! Next time you are cooking on the stove or using your washer and dryer, take a look at your thermostat. I’ve found that my apartment’s temperature will spike three to four degrees while cooking on the stovetop. Some ways to work around this include washing dishes by hand, hanging clothes out to dry, cooking on the grill, or even using the microwave. On top of these appliances, large electronics like plasma TV’s produce excess heat. If you can help it, cutting back on using these appliances during the day will help make your home more comfortable and lower A/C costs.

Start Your Summer Savings

Incorporating the practices above will help keep you cool and lower your A/C costs. Summer in the Carolinas can experience extremely hot temperatures, as certain areas stay over 90 degrees consistently throughout the season. Even with a solar energy system, customers in the Carolinas experience a spike in their energy bills. Practice these tips this Summer and notice the difference in your energy bill from previous years! 

If you are interested in lowering your energy costs entirely, investing in solar energy system for your home can bring you energy savings and independence. To get in touch with a solar consultant for a free quote, click the link here!