Getting Started: Generate Your First SolaDesigner Report

This guide will walk you through the four main sections required to generate a comprehensive energy report. Each section corresponds to an accordion panel under "Enter Your Energy Details".

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1. Postcode and Consumption Profile

This section gathers essential information about your location and energy usage patterns. Accurate data here ensures accurate solar radiation calculations and relevant electricity tariff matching.

1.1. Enter Your Postcode and Suburb

Start by entering your postcode or suburb. This is crucial for determining local solar radiation and available retail electricity plans.

Steps:

1. Expand the "Postcode and Consumption Profile" section if it's collapsed.
2. Locate the "Enter Your Postcode and Suburb" input box.
3. Type your postcode or suburb. A dropdown list will appear.
4. Select your exact postcode and suburb from the list. You must select a postcode and suburb, the report will not be generated otherwise.

1.2. Average Daily Consumption (kWh/day)

Input your average daily electricity usage. You can find this on your electricity bills. Consider using several bills to get a representative average, or a 12-month summary if available.

Show an example electricity bill

SolaDesigner allows separate entries for weekday and weekend consumption.

Steps:

1. Enter your "Average Weekday Daily Consumption (kWh/day)".
2. Enter your "Average Weekend Daily Consumption (kWh/day)".

1.3. Select a Demand Curve

Choose a demand curve that best represents your household's typical energy usage pattern throughout the day. The entered daily consumption will be distributed according to this curve.

Steps:

1. Select the "Weekday Demand Curve" tab.
2. Choose a demand curve from the dropdown (e.g., "Day Focus", "Evening Peak").
3. Repeat for the "Weekend Demand Curve" tab if your weekend patterns differ.

⚠️ Caution: Your total daily consumption (Weekday and Weekend) must be greater than your Hot Water consumption. EV Charging, and Air Conditioning consumption will be added to this value.

1.4. Hot Water System Details

Hot water can be a significant energy consumer. Provide details about your system to accurately model its impact.

Steps:

1. Select your "Type of Hot Water" (Electric, Heat Pump, Other).
2. Select a "demand Tariff" (Controlled Load 1, Controlled Load 2, Your Plan Tariff).
3. Select your "Usage" (e.g., 1 Person, 2 Persons) to get an estimated "Energy usage (kWh/day)". You can override this value if you have more accurate data.
4. If "Your Plan Tariff" is selected, check the time blocks when your hot water system is active.
5. If you have a controlled load, you can enter the hot water consumption directly. If your hot water is heated via your plan tariff, you may not know how much electricity your system uses; in this case, use the suggested energy requirements.

1.5. Air Conditioning Details

If you use air conditioning, enabling this option allows for a more precise simulation of your energy demand, especially during peak cooling or heating seasons.

Steps:

1. Check "Add Air Conditioning Details".
2. Enter "Cooling Capacity (kW)", "Cooling Rating", "Heating Capacity (kW)", and "Heating Rating" for your AC unit(s).
3. Select "Cooling Setpoint" and "Heating Setpoint".
4. Click "Add Item to List" to add the unit. You can add multiple units.
5. If you only use your air conditioner for cooling; enter 0 kW for the heating capacity for your unit.

1.6. Electric Vehicle Charging

If you own an electric vehicle, include its charging details to understand its impact on your energy consumption and how solar/battery systems can offset these costs.

Steps:

1. Check "Enable Electric Vehicle Charging".
2. Enter "Average kilometers travelled per week" and "EV Consumption (kWh per 100km)". The "Average energy required per week (kWh)" will auto-calculate; or you enter the value directly if required.
3. Select your "EV Charging Schedule" by clicking the time slots when you typically charge.

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2. Solar Details

This section defines your solar photovoltaic (PV) system. You can model up to three separate solar arrays, each with its own specifications.

Steps:

1. Expand the "Solar Details" section.
2. Select the "Solar Array 1" tab.
3. Enter the "Solar Array Size (kWp)".
4. Adjust the "Azimuth (°)" (direction your panels face, 0° is North) using the compass tool or by typing.
5. Adjust the "Slope (°)" (tilt angle of your panels) using the slope tool or by typing.
6. Repeat for "Solar Array 2" and "Solar Array 3" tabs if you have multiple arrays. If an array size is 0, it will not be included in the calculation.

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3. Battery Details

If you have or plan to install a battery energy storage system (BESS), enter its capacity here.

Steps:

1. Expand the "Battery Details" section.
2. Enter the "Battery Size kWh" (usable energy capacity). If 0, no battery will be included in the calculation.

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4. Electricity Price Details

This section is crucial for calculating your energy costs and potential savings. You can either define custom rates or select from real retail plans.

4.1. Custom Electricity Pricing (Default Tab)

Manually input your electricity rates. This is useful if you know your exact tariff or want to model hypothetical scenarios.

Steps:

1. Ensure the "Custom Electricity Pricing" tab is selected.
2. Enter your required rates; "Peak Rate c/kWh", "Offpeak Rate c/kWh", "Shoulder Rate c/kWh", "Controlled Load 1 Rate c/kWh", "Controlled Load 2 Rate c/kWh", "Feed In Rate c/kWh", and "Daily Charge c/day".
3. Optionally, set a "Feed In Limit kWh" and "Feed In Rate after Limit c/kWh".
4. Select a "Pricing Structure" from the dropdown to pre-fill common tariff types.

4.2. Retail Electrical Pricing

Browse and select actual electricity plans available in your postcode. This provides a realistic basis for comparison.

Steps:

1. Click the "Retail Electrical Pricing" tab.
2. Use the filters (Rate Type, Time Of Use rates, Controlled Load rates, Solar Feed-In rates) to narrow down the list of plans.
3. Click on a row in the table to select a plan. Its details will automatically populate the "Custom Electricity Pricing" section.
4. Click "View Selected Plan Details" to see a comprehensive breakdown of the chosen plan.
5. Once you select a plan you can return to the "Custom Electricity Pricing" tab and modify the rates. This may be required if your current plan has different rate prices to the currently offered plan from your supplier.

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Generate Your Report

Once all sections are completed, you're ready to generate your report.

Steps:

1. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
2. Click the "Calculate Energy Report" button.

The system will process your inputs and display a detailed report, including energy generation, consumption, and financial savings. Your report will be automatically saved in your browser's local storage for future access.

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please refer to the individual "Help" buttons next to each input field or contact us directly.