Solar Power iPhone App

[Jason]

I'm mad because I thought about doing this a couple months ago!

SunPower's new iPhone application makes it easy to monitor solar panel performance on the go. The application is just one part of the SunPower Monitoring System, which keeps track of SunPower solar panel performance with an in-home wall-mounted LCD display and an Internet-based program. The iPhone app keeps track of a number of statistics, including current solar panel generating capacity, lifetime panel production, today's production, today's usage, and today's net difference between production and usage.

SunPower's iPhone app will likely have a limited appeal--it only works with SunPower solar panels--but it's part of an increasing push by alternative energy and smart grid companies to increase the remote capabilities available for their products. GainSpan is developing iPhone applications to monitor and control home temperature, water heaters, HVAC, and lighting, and Visible Energy's UFO Power Strip is controlled by an iPhone app.

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/sunpower-releases-first-solar-monitoring-iphone-app

[MarineLiner]

I'm mad because I thought about doing this a couple months ago!
...
- to monitor solar panel performance on the go.
- keeps track of SunPower solar panel performance
- keeps track of a number of statistics,
-- current solar panel generating capacity,
-- lifetime panel production,
-- today's production,
-- today's usage, and
-- today's net difference between
--- production and
--- usage.
- a limited appeal
--it only works with SunPower solar panels
--but it's part of an increasing push ...

[MarineLiner]

I'm mad because I thought about doing this a couple months ago!

[solarelectryc]

So cool!

That's such a sweet iPhone app. Too bad it is only functional with SunPower panels. Do you know of any apps like this that can monitor a broader-spectrum of panel brands?

[Off Grid Solar]

Jasun, Do not get mad about progress. The I-Phone is just another product that works with the intranet. It is not rocket science that makes this work. It is just communications. If you had the communications codes you can get the same information on any cell phone. Solarelectryc it can work with any solar panel. There is no magic of one solar panel verses another. It is the inverter that takes power and reports its results via a rom/e-prom. It is really no big deal. This has been available for the last 2 years. The main secret to a good solar electric system is how many hours a day a solar panel can produce electric power. I would let you know a secret about a new product but that would be totally unfair to you and it would stop people from buying solar panels all together to wait till this new product is available. It would also kill wind generators as we know them today. So please don't get upset over advancements in technology. As you can see there is a lack of knowledge about solar and solar PV products. This is because people that are not in the solar industry are trying all kinds of things to make power. DIY is a perfect example. Trying to charge 4 batteries with 60 watts of power, would take forever and it would never work. The batteries would never get enough power to be fully charged. I don't expect anyone to be a expert on every solar electric subject. You see this is the problem that I am seeing. Solar panel companies, inverter companies, battery companies. Now logically, you need 3 companies to solve one problem. If a failure takes place guess what is going to happen. Each of these companies are going to blame each other for the failure. This is because these companies only make parts and not the whole system. When the time is right I will be announcing a new solar PV system. We expect this will take place this year. I will tell you this about the product. It will cost a lot less than anyother PV system available and it will not be nano technology. Nano Technology has no proven track record. This new system does have a great track record. We feel that this technology is the best replacement for fueled systems without the loss of power due to heat and UV light exposure. Now I have said enough. Some people are concerned with storing electric power and there is a race to get the first viable product out on the market. This is exactly how a hydro power system works. The storage is behind the dam. In a solar electric or PV system the batteries are the weakest link for service problems. We are solving this problem now.

[solar_fan]

Here is Android App Solar Meter that simulate solar cell behavior based on your GPS location while moving your android device around. It also make basic calculation for the annual energy distribution. It might be useful for those who is thinking of installing solar panels but need some information about expected energy output on site:

Mod note - ıf you wish to advertise contact user name Jason.

[russ]

I would mind buying a solar panel that size and adapting it to my backpack I wear to work when I get off the train in the morning/evening and give my iPhone that extra juice while I walk.

So you would walk so the panel has the appropriate orientation? Not to mention that at those times the watts available are very low - meaning a 6 watt panel might be a 1 watt panel.

Very bad idea