If you’ve invested in solar, knowing how to read and interpret your monitoring data is essential. Solar monitoring apps provide real-time insights into how your solar system is performing—covering everything from solar energy production and energy usage, to export levels and battery storage. But each platform presents information differently, and the presence—or absence—of a consumption meter can dramatically affect what you’re able to see. In this guide, we walk you through the major platforms used in Australia: Fronius SolarWeb, Growatt OSS, GoodWe SEMS Portal, SolisCloud, iSolarCloud, and the Tesla app. We also explain what key terms mean, how to interpret the data, and what options exist if you don’t have a consumption meter installed.
Understanding Key Terms
Before diving into the platforms, it's helpful to clarify some common terms used across solar monitoring systems.
- Solar Energy Production (or 'Yield'): This is the total energy your solar panels generate, usually shown in (kWh).
- Energy Usage (or 'Consumption'): The amount of electricity your home or business uses.
- Import: Energy drawn from the grid when your solar generation isn’t enough.
- Power Output: The amount of electricity (in kW) your inverter is supplying in real-time.
- Battery Storage: If you have a battery, this shows charge level, discharge activity, and hours of energy stored.
What Is a Consumption Meter—and Why It Matters
A consumption meter (or smart meter) allows your monitoring platform to display how much electricity you’re actually using—not just how much your system generates. Without a consumption meter, you’ll only see solar generation and export values, which can lead to confusion. For instance, you might be generating a lot of power, but your electricity bill remains high because you are importing grid power at night or during cloudy periods.
Consumption meters typically add $300–$600 to the installation cost but are worth it if you want a complete view of your system’s performance. They also help you identify when and how to shift energy habits to maximise self-consumption, which increases energy bill savings.
If your system does not include a consumption meter, you can still monitor usage through your energy retailer. Most major retailers in Australia offer mobile apps or online portals where you can:
- View your daily and hourly electricity usage
- Track your billing cycle and compare time-of-use rates
- Monitor your import/export balance if you’re on a premium feed-in tariff. Bear in mind, this data often has a 24–48 hour delay and isn’t as accurate as real-time inverter data.
Fronius SolarWeb
Fronius SolarWeb provides detailed, real-time and historical data. When you log into the platform, you’ll see a dashboard summarising solar energy production, consumption (if a smart meter is installed), and feed-in/export to the grid. You can switch between daily, weekly, and monthly views.
• Energy Balance view shows generation, consumption, and export all together in one clean chart.
• Look out for long periods of no generation during sunny hours this could indicate inverter malfunctions.
• Hovering or clicking on the chart will give exact values in kWh for any time segment.
Growatt OSS Platform
The Growatt monitoring system provides a simple but effective overview. On login, you’ll see tabs for 'Generation Power,' 'Today’s Yield,' and 'Load Consumption' if a consumption meter is connected. You’ll also see 'Total Yield' (lifetime solar production) and 'CO2 reduction' which shows environmental benefit. Growatt graphs are color-coded: orange for consumption, green for solar generation. You can assess whether your solar is meeting your load or whether you're importing from the grid by comparing the height of the bars. If the platform shows high generation but low consumption coverage, check your usage patterns or contact your installer to assess for system oversizing.
GoodWe SEMS Portal
GoodWe's SEMS Portal offers a real-time dashboard with production, consumption (if available), export/import, and battery charge status. The circular graph on the home screen gives a breakdown of your energy mix—how much comes from solar, the grid, or your battery. Click on the 'Energy Flow' diagram to see real-time distribution. Daily graphs allow you to compare solar generation with household load. A large spike in load not matched by solar may indicate a high-energy appliance like an air conditioner kicking in. Check for periods when your consumption exceeds production—that’s when you're drawing from the grid.
SolisCloud
SolisCloud provides one of the most detailed interfaces. On the homepage, you’ll see system status, current power output, and daily/total generation. If your system includes a consumption meter, you’ll also see consumption and self-consumption ratios. Use the 'Data Analysis' tab to see hourly data overlays of generation, usage, export, and import. The 'Alarm Records' tab flags any issues—watch out for red alerts or sudden drops in energy production, which may be due to loose connections, shading, or inverter faults. Regular checks of these graphs help prevent costly damage and ensure optimal performance.
iSolarCloud
Sungrow's iSolarCloud presents a clean layout with clear breakdowns of generation, usage, export, and battery activity. You’ll see both real-time and historical data. Daily summaries show total solar generation and load usage, while the 'Energy Flow' diagram illustrates the direction of electricity in real-time. Click 'Device' to check inverter status and firmware. If your system has a battery, iSolarCloud also shows how much energy was stored or used.
Missing data during peak sunlight hours might signal Wi-Fi disconnection or inverter downtime. Look at past days for consistency.
Tesla App
The Tesla app offers an intuitive, visual overview. You’ll see real-time energy flow: how much energy is coming from the sun, how much your home is using, and where excess energy is going (Powerwall or grid). Each day’s bar graph shows total solar production, grid usage, and home consumption. Clicking into 'Energy' and choosing a past date allows you to track patterns. For homes with a Powerwall, the app tracks charging/discharging patterns and reserve settings. Be aware of seasonal variations—winter sun hours may drop your production. Sudden flat lines during sunny hours may mean the system is offline or not reporting properly.
Conclusion
Whether you're using Fronius, Growatt, GoodWe, SolisCloud, iSolarCloud, or Tesla, learning to read your solar data gives you control over your energy usage. It helps you catch performance issues early, adjust your consumption habits for better energy savings, and understand how your system is interacting with your energy retailer and grid. If you’re unsure whether your system is performing at its best, or you’re seeing unexpected changes in your electricity bills, consult your installer or a solar technician. Regular monitoring, basic cleaning, and timely maintenance are key to long-term performance and lower energy costs.
Monitoring your solar power system through real-time data offers more than just a snapshot of performance — it provides valuable insights into how your system responds to daily conditions, energy habits, and seasonal changes. By comparing actual output to expected energy yield during peak daylight hours, you can detect potential issues early, such as inverter error codes, connection issues, or unexpected drops in output. Modern platforms use remote monitoring and intuitive graphs to help you track energy generation, energy consumption, and energy export in one place — allowing for informed decisions that lead to maximum energy savings. Reviewing your inverter display regularly or responding promptly to alerts in your app ensures your system continues to operate at peak efficiency. Weather conditions, panel orientation, and inverter configuration can all impact maximum output, so keeping an eye on detailed insights—especially if you’ve submitted a meter data request to your energy provider or are troubleshooting fluctuating energy output—can make a significant difference in system performance and long-term return.
If you're having trouble with your solar or battery system, please contact Solar Water Wind. Our team will assist you with troubleshooting and next steps.
