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This technical advice note is for public sector and community organisations who have read and actioned the three Guidance Notes on Monitoring and maximising the performance of roof-top solar arrays: guidance.

This technical advice note describes the purpose of the four Excel tools provided by the Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖEnergy Service to support management of roof-top solar photovoltaic arrays (PV).

These Excel tools are:

1. Generation data converter tool
2. Import data converter Tool
3. Contract rates HH converter tool
4. Roof-top solar operation analysis tool

• A fact-finding exercise has been completed and a factsheet or operational manual has been created.
• The ‘as-built’ electrical design of the building and capability of the solar array are fully understood. i.e., is the generation used on site, exported or a combination of the two?
• There is remote access to half-hourly import meter data.
• There is remote access to generation meter interval data. This may be in 10-minute, 15-minute, half-hourly or hourly intervals.
• The import, export, generation tariffs and the annual cost of Operation and Maintenance are noted in the factsheet. (Not all may be relevant, depending on the electrical design of the solar array.)
• The latest version of Microsoft Excel is installed on your workspace.
• The four excel tools have been downloaded and saved to a secure location on your workspace.

The first three tools are used to process key data into a half-hourly interval grid format, for input into the Roof-top solar operation analysis tool. Half-hourly grid format data is standard in the electricity market and is straightforward to view and to analyse visually. 

There are step-by-step User Instruction tabs within each Excel tool. This Technical Note does not replace those instructions.

Generation data converter tool

A generation metering device at the solar array inverter may not measure in half-hourly intervals. This tool converts 10-minute, 15-minute or hourly interval data into half-hourly interval data.

The solar monitoring remote platform may export meter interval data in a csv. column format. This tool converts column interval data into a half-hourly grid.

Import data converter tool

Half-hourly import data is sometimes provided in a csv. column format. This tool converts column format data into a grid format.

Contract rates HH converter tool

To calculate the value of generated electricity, multiple tariffs and costs may need to be considered. This tool outputs tariff data into a half-hourly grid format to enable interrogation within the Roof-top solar operation analysis tool.

Roof-top solar operation analysis tool

The Roof-top solar operation analysis tool will require some minor adjustments by the user to tailor it to the particular details of each solar array. These adjustments are described in detail in the ‘User Instructions’ tab of the tool.

The orange tabs use the information generated from the first three tools, to automatically populate the green tabs, purple tabs and the blue tabs. The green tabs display kilowatt hour generation, site demand. The purple tabs display the financial value of generation. The blue tabs analyse the kilowatt output for each half hour and provide guidance on interpreting the performance of the solar array suggesting any areas of concern and any remedial actions required.

The ‘Key for Operational Analysis’ tab describes the significance of the Conditional Formatting applied.

When data is sourced and entered correctly, the Roof-top solar operation analysis tool provides crucial insight into the performance of the rooftop solar array.

Once set up, ongoing management of your rooftop solar array using these Excel tools will take just five or ten minutes a day.

If analysis is needed for multiple sites, replicate the Roof-top solar operation analysis for each array, and work with your IT department, or Building Management System provider, to build an API to automatically pull half-hourly meter data into the input tabs of the Roof-top solar operation analysis tools.

When there is a change in fixed or cyclical data, it is vital to update the factsheet / operational manual AND to update the Excel tools accordingly.

Note

Îʶ¦ÓéÀÖEnergy Service is unable to provide technical support to users of these Excel tools.