Solar Monitoring Software Development

Inverter data ingestion via manufacturer APIs and local Modbus RS-485 or Modbus TCP connections for inverters that expose data over the site network. Communication protocols supported include Modbus RTU over RS-485 for older inverter strings, Modbus TCP for network-connected inverters, DNP3 for utility-scale SCADA integration, and IEC 60870-5-104 for grid-connected systems where the DNO requires a standardised telemetry protocol. Support for SolarEdge via the Monitoring API, Enphase via the Enlighten API, Fronius via the Solar.web API and local Fronius Data Manager, SMA via the Sunny Portal API and local Modbus interface, Huawei via the FusionSolar API, and ABB via FIMER.

Smart meter integration for import, export, and self-consumption tracking supplements inverter generation data with actual grid exchange measurements. Irradiance data is integrated from NREL NSRDB (National Solar Radiation Database) or SolarAnywhere for sites without a local irradiance sensor, enabling performance ratio calculation and weather-normalised yield comparison without requiring hardware at every site. Data normalised to a common schema regardless of inverter brand. Polling intervals are configured per site based on API rate limits and monitoring requirements -- event-driven triggers for fault conditions rather than waiting for the next scheduled poll.

Performance ratio (PR) calculation following the IEC 61724-1 standard for photovoltaic system performance monitoring: actual energy output divided by reference yield (irradiance on the plane of array divided by standard test condition irradiance multiplied by installed kWp). A PR above 0.75 typically indicates a well-functioning system; values below 0.70 warrant investigation. Specific yield (kWh/kWp) is calculated at system, string, and inverter level to identify underperforming components without requiring a technician visit. Capacity factor tracks actual generation against the theoretical maximum generation at rated output for the same period.

Soiling loss estimation compares PR trend over time against a baseline established after the last cleaning event, giving the O&M team a data-driven signal for when cleaning is economically justified. Weather-normalised yield comparison uses irradiance data from NREL NSRDB or SolarAnywhere to compare what a system actually generated against what it should have generated given the actual weather -- removing irradiance variability from performance comparisons between sites or time periods. Clipping detection identifies systems where inverter capacity is undersized relative to array output, a common issue in commercial retrofits where the inverter has not been resized to match the expanded array. Daily, monthly, and annual generation summaries with trend views complete the analysis layer.

Fault event processing from inverter alarm registers with classification by fault type and severity -- ground fault, arc fault, over-temperature, communication loss, and grid disconnect are handled as distinct event types with different severity levels and response protocols. String-level fault detection identifies underperforming strings that do not trigger an inverter-level alarm: a string producing 15% less than its expected current given the measured irradiance is a fault even if the inverter continues to operate and report no errors. This is where a significant share of undetected degradation occurs.

Rule-based and anomaly detection covers fault conditions the alarm registers do not surface: string-level underperformance against irradiance-adjusted expected output, intermittent communication loss patterns that indicate a failing communications device, and production shortfall relative to irradiance that persists across multiple polling intervals. Alert routing by severity sends critical faults -- full system offline, ground fault, arc fault -- to the on-call technician by SMS within minutes of the event. Degradation alerts route to the service queue by email for review during the next scheduled maintenance window. O&M work orders are generated automatically for underperforming strings that cross a configurable threshold, with site details, fault classification, and historical performance data attached. CMMS integration with IBM Maximo Application Suite routes work orders to your existing maintenance management workflow. Alert suppression rules prevent false positives during grid curtailment, low-irradiance mornings, and scheduled maintenance windows.

Customer portal showing daily, monthly, and lifetime generation in plain language -- kilowatt-hours produced, estimated bill savings in dollars or pounds based on the customer's tariff rate, and equivalent carbon offset in tonnes or equivalent trees. The savings calculation is updated daily and cumulative from system installation, so the customer can see the return on their investment accumulating over time. Expected output comparison using weather-normalised yield data from NREL NSRDB or SolarAnywhere shows the customer whether the system is performing normally against what would be expected given recent weather -- no need to understand performance ratio or specific yield.

Fault status is shown as a clear indicator with plain-language explanations: not a fault code string, but a description of what the alert means and what the next step is -- whether the customer should expect a technician contact, whether the issue is being investigated, or whether the system has already been reset. PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) generation reporting is included for customers on PPA billing structures, showing the generation volume that determines their billing amount and the reference data for any billing disputes. Mobile-responsive design that works on the phone the customer will use to check it. Branded to the installer with their logo, colours, and contact details -- the customer sees the installer brand, not the monitoring platform vendor.

Fleet dashboard for installers and asset managers showing all sites in a single view with real-time status indicators: generating normally, degraded performance (PR below configurable threshold), faulted, or offline. Portfolio-level generation summary shows total kWh produced today, this month, and this year across all sites in the fleet, alongside the portfolio-level performance ratio and specific yield for the current period. These are the numbers an asset manager needs for investor reporting and PPA performance verification.

Filter and sort by status, system size, inverter brand, installer, geographic region, or custom tag. Bulk alert review lets a technician triage the full site list sorted by fault severity -- the most urgent sites at the top -- without opening each system individually. Clicking through from the fleet view to a site shows the full site detail: string-level performance, fault history, weather-normalised yield trend, and open work orders. SCADA integration via DNP3 or IEC 60870-5-104 connects utility-scale assets into the same fleet view as smaller commercial sites, giving the asset manager a single dashboard regardless of asset type. The operational view that makes managing 50 or 500 sites as manageable as managing five -- the interface scales to the fleet size without becoming slower or harder to navigate.

Long-term data retention with efficient time-series storage -- 5-minute interval data retained for the full system lifetime, downsampled to hourly and daily aggregates for long-term trend views without losing granularity for fault investigation. Automated monthly performance reports delivered to customers by email include generation summary, weather-normalised performance ratio, estimated savings, and year-to-date cumulative figures. These are designed to be readable by a non-technical customer who glances at the report once a month, not an operations analyst.

Annual generation summaries for feed-in tariff (FiT) reconciliation and warranty documentation provide the data in the format most DNOs and warranty providers require. PPA generation reporting produces the monthly kWh totals and supporting data trail for billing under Power Purchase Agreement structures -- the data is the billing record, and the report needs to be audit-ready. Custom report builder for asset owners who need generation data in specific formats for investors or offtake counterparties: select date range, site or portfolio, and output format. CMMS integration with IBM Maximo Application Suite or similar platforms exports maintenance event history alongside generation data for O&M reporting. Data export in CSV and JSON for integration with asset management or accounting systems. The records layer that makes generation history useful beyond the monitoring dashboard for the full asset lifecycle.