Solar energy insights in the Powershop app
Cleaner Energy
2 min read
August 16, 2023
Having solar panels doesn’t automatically mean savings (although it’s a big step in the right direction). Even having a supposedly good feed-in tariff doesn’t mean getting the most out of your solar. To see what feed-in tariffs are currently available in your area, see our electricity plans.
If you have solar, there are two things you need to make sure you have.
1. A good energy deal.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a super high feed-in tariff – because often these high FiTs will be a distraction from equally high rates. When comparing retailers look at your energy prices as well as your FiT to make sure you’ve got the best deal for you.
2. Knowledge.
Knowing how to use your system to your advantage will help you get the best savings. Without knowing when your system is working and how well it’s working, you can’t know how to get the most out of it. You need insights into your solar.
Luckily we can help out with all of the above. Get a good energy deal with Powershop and read on for the knowledge you get as a customer. If you aren’t already a Powershop customer, get your prices and sign up here.
Solar insights in the app
Hit the solar tab in the Powershop app to see your solar insights. Here’s what you’ll be able to see:
Solar customers can view insights and track home energy usage in the app
Daily feed-in: shows you how much solar energy you fed into the grid that day.
Half hourly feed-in: shows how much your solar fed into the grid in half hourly increments for the day you’re viewing in the daily feed-in graph.
Total daily feed-in: shows you how much solar energy you fed into the grid in kWh.
Knowledge is power
Usually, it’s better to use the energy you’re generating instead of exporting it.
Gone are the days of high government subsidised feed-in tariffs (for most of us anyway) which means that using the energy as you’re generating it is going to mean lower bills.
Jump into the app and check out when you’re generally exporting the most. Is it 1pm? Well set the timer on your dishwasher to start then. 3pm? Good excuse to leave that last load of washing until then. You get the idea.
Keep your panels in tip top shape
Keep an eye on your daily performance to stay on top of any drops in the performance of your panels.
While sometimes a drop on your usual feed-in amount might just be because of a cloudy day, if it continues when the sun’s out, it could be time to get your panels checked out.
Panels generally take care of themselves, but if you notice a sustained drop in your solar panels performance they may need cleaning. Safety first – don’t attempt to give them a clean yourself. Always get the professionals in.
If they’re clean and still not working, you’ll need to get in touch with your installer or a solar maintenance service to take a look. Again – let the professionals do their thing.