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How solar and energy management works

Solar is a great way to generate your own energy and reduce your electricity bills. Sometimes we may need to carefully manage the energy generated from your system to balance the network and allow more people access to the benefits of solar.

Here's an overview of how a rooftop solar system works and what it means when your system is 'energy managed'.

 

How rooftop solar works

Rooftop solar systems convert sunlight into energy that can be used to power your property.
If you don't use all of the solar power you generate (and you don't have a battery to store it), the excess energy goes back into the grid.

 

Panels create electricity

Sunlight shines on the solar panels which is converted into Direct Current (DC) electricity (a one-directional flow of electricity).

An inverter converts the electricity

An inverter converts the DC electricity into Alternating Current (AC) electricity - the type that we need to power your business!

The electricity powers your property

The electricity is used to directly power your business - your lights, air con, any machinery and other appliances.

Excess energy is sent back to the grid

Unless you have a battery, any electricity generated during sunlight hours that isn't used will be sent back to the grid.

Energy managed rooftop solar

As more renewables connect to the network, it becomes harder to maintain a stable power supply because they were originally designed for one way flow of electricity. The intermittent nature of solar energy due to things like cloud cover, leads to uneven flow into the grid.

With energy management, we can turn up or down the solar energy generated when needed to maintain network stability - we call this Smart Connect Solar.

 

Secure Gateway Device

If your rooftop solar is a Smart Connected system, it has a Secure Gateway Device connected to the solar inverter and internet - so it can be energy managed.

Energy management

Energy management is the ability to turn up or down, the amount of electricity a solar system generates - quickly responding to any changes in network load and weather conditions.

Grid stability

This helps to smooth the energy flow (so we don't have sudden spikes that impact grid stability) and allows more rooftop solar to connect to the network.



Smart Connect Solar

Smart Connect Solar is our solution to the technical challenges of connecting high volumes of solar energy to the network.

It uses internet connected solar technology that enables us to effectively manage high levels of solar energy on the network, whilst maintaining a safe and reliable power supply for the community.

About Smart Connect Solar

Adding battery storage

Adding a battery to your solar system allows you to store the excess solar energy you generated during the day and access it later, when your home needs it.

 

How batteries work

Horizon Power acknowledges the Traditional Custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders past, present and emerging.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain images, names or voices of deceased people.