Why Monitor Your Solar Energy Consumption?
As a solar system owner, it’s important to have a decent idea of how much energy you’re consuming and producing. Not only does this help you ensure your Coachella Valley solar energy system is efficient for your needs, but it can also help you avoid any surprise bills.
Your solar panel system is designed to offset or cover a certain amount of energy, which means it’s not an unlimited source of energy. Depending on the design, your solar system can cover partial usage or 15% more of the prior solar usage at the time of sale.
You should monitor your solar energy consumption to ensure that you don’t run into high electricity bills, specifically when your true-up statement arrives. The true-up statement is the bill you get at the end of your 12-month billing cycle, and it essentially reconciles all your credits and charges over the past year. If you consumed less energy than you produced over that period, your bill will stay low, or you may owe nothing at all. However, if you use more energy than you produce, you’ll face a bill for the excess energy used at the end of this period.
How to Monitor Your Energy Consumption
Your Coachella Valley solar panel system’s production will vary depending on the time of day, weather conditions, and how many panels you have installed. By tracking your solar production, you can get a better idea of how much energy you are producing and use this information to make decisions about when to use electricity and when to use solar power.
For Renova Energy customers, we recommend keeping track by using the MySunPower app. The app will allow you to monitor your solar and energy usage from anywhere, so you’re always in the know.
However, you can also be proactive about your energy by knowing what affects your energy consumption.
What Factors Affect Energy Consumption?
There are several factors that affect your home’s solar energy usage, including:
- Time of day
- The amount of sunlight available
- Your household’s energy consumption habits
You may find that you are experiencing higher than expected consumption levels, even though your system is running as designed. In this case, you should consider that there may be an error from the utility or that your usage habits have changed. For example, were you a part-time owner when the system was first designed? Are you the original owner of the PV system? Did you purchase the system based on partial energy usage? Have you added or changed any appliances, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, mini-splits, or pool pumps? These things can all affect your consumption.
How to Reduce Your Energy Consumption
There are a few things you can do to reduce your energy consumption and help conserve energy.
One way is to switch off electronics when you’re not using them. Everyday items like your TV, computers, lights, and even ovens use a lot of energy when they’re running. Keeping track of your appliances also includes adjusting your heating and cooling settings. If you’re not home or you won’t be in a certain room of your house, turn your AC off or set the temperature higher.
You also have the option to add more panels to your system if you expect your level of energy consumption to stay the same. Our solar experts in the Coachella Valley at RenovaPLUS will guide you through the process by helping you determine how many more panels your system needs and installing them for you.
Have more questions about what affects your energy consumption? Call our Coachella Valley solar experts at Renova Energy or RenovaPLUS today! We are always available to help you better understand your system and provide you with top-notch maintenance.
