Solar and energy storage are complex industries, and while monitoring can make sense in theory, its importance and applications are helpful for users to grasp. This complexity is also the reason why high-end monitoring software can be the lynchpin to a successful strategy.

Solar and energy storage monitoring improves maintenance by identifying issues early, by making sure systems are functioning as intended, and by reducing maintenance demands over time.

Why Monitoring Matters

The effects of smart solar monitoring are far-reaching. Hardware providers, financiers, and solar developers all rely on accurate data to achieve their goals, and imperfect monitoring can negatively affect their desired outcomes in unexpected ways. 

BESS controllers can help, but often aren’t sufficient. Weak monitoring procedures can lead to:

  • Systems underperforming
  • Savings falling off, tanking ROI
  • Demand charges rising
  • Exceeding safety and legal limits

These negative outcomes can all come from (or be made worse by) weak monitoring practices, or they can cause or worsen each other.

Early Identification

At times, maintenance has focused on physical inspections, centering documenting issues and scheduling their repair. When it comes to large solar and energy storage sites, these complex systems have to track battery usage, monitor charge and discharge, and respond dynamically to environmental events and user incentive programs. Old systems of monitoring lag behind these issues.

Modern monitoring tools, like ETB Monitor, can help. Say a battery discharges at the wrong time: rather than the issue being revealed a month later during scheduled maintenance, dynamic systems can show where the issue occurred right away. This kind of early identification improves maintenance by preventing worse fallout.

Confirming Solar and Energy Storage Performance

Strong solar and energy storage systems require accurate data around which to base patterns and projections. Quality monitoring helps managers set projections before they start building, and once the systems are underway, quality monitoring can help managers see if they’re performing as expected. This is the only way to accurately adjust rates and schedules.

When real-world operations don’t match assumptions or projected numbers, not only can it be unsafe, it can damage business and ROI. By confirming performance in the field, monitoring systems can improve maintenance by letting you focus on which problems matter most.

Maintenance sometimes means choosing which systems to update, advance, or scrap. Quality monitoring can provide insights into which path each part of your project should follow and when. Confirming performance is also important when it comes to meeting necessary thresholds, and good solar monitoring confirms these standards are met.

Reducing Maintenance Long-Term

Maintenance can be time and cost intensive. Strong monitoring software can confirm system performance while reducing site visits and system maintenance.

Is the issue hardware? Communication? Scheduling? Human error? In-person visits might reveal the cause of a problem (often after damage has already been done), but often at a cost higher than the price tag of quality monitoring tools.

The Best Tool for the Job

Energy Toolbase has worked tirelessly to understand and detect faults with solar and energy storage system monitoring. Our industry-leading software is the solution to these faults. Schedule a call with our team of specialists today to see how we can make sure your monitoring system is checking every box.