Solar Power: Monitoring

Enphase Enlighten Portal

We exclusively supply and install Enphase micro-inverters that log data for each PV Module (solar panel). The reason we only sell micro-inverters is because they are a superior product, as compared to the traditional string inverter. A micro inverter is a small electronic device that is wired to a single PV module (solar panel) that converts the DC (direct current) electricity from the module to the AC (alternating current) electricity used on the grid. There are many benefits to this technology. Unlike a traditional string inverter, this provides detailed information on each module and maximizes production by keeping each module working to its full potential, even if a nearby panel is covered with leaves. The Enphase micro inverters also publish data for each PV module on the Enlighten website. Detailed information on each module is available to the system owner. A graphical interface, with less detail, is available for the public to view, if desired. The interface below represents one of our installations.

This per-module data is very useful. A traditional string inverter may vary its production from day-to-day and the owner wouldn't know whether it's just the usual variability due to clouds or if there is a problem. With the micro inverters, if there was a shadow, caused by trees that have grown since the installation, the shadow could be seen to pass from one side of the solar array to the other. This can be seen by using the time-lapse playback feature in the Enphase Enlighten interface. The shadow actually appears to move from module to module in the playback as the sun moves behind the trees. This detail would be completely missed by a traditional string inverter.

Another example of the benefits of the per-module data tracking is that each inverter works independantly to the others. For example, if a leaf or some other form of dirt, affected the energy production of one module, the remaining modules will completely uneffected. In this case, you would easily see (through the web interface) that one module is not producing well, while the others are doing fine. Instead of reducing the production of the entire string (as in a traditional string-type installation), this only affects the one module's production. You also get automatic email notification if one module is performing worse than the adjacent modules.

Below is the public version of the Enlighten web portal for one of our installations. You can interact with it and see an animation of today's production, or the last week's production. You can also see the total production for the year or the life of the system. As a system owner, you would be able to download detailed reports for further analysis in Excel.