MyRedback App helps homeowners make informed decisions

About 3-hours south of Brisbane, in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region, sits the picturesque town of Yamba. There, Neil lives in a stunning riverside home, powered by 24 solar panels and a Redback Smart Inverter.

After several years with another manufacturer’s solar inverter, Neil made a significant decision – the decision to switch to Redback. This choice marked a pivotal moment in his energy management journey, profoundly impacting his understanding and utilisation of solar technology.

In fact, the analytics and reporting that’s become available to Neil since his Redback Smart Inverter was installed, has changed his energy habits for the better: “I’ve learned more in the last month with Redback than in the previous 8 years with the other inverter,” he said.

 

MyRedback to the rescue

Neil’s journey with Redback Technologies brought him more than just a state-of-the-art solar system; it introduced him to the MyRedback app and Redback Portal. These tools became essential in Neil’s daily life, offering him on-demand access to detailed analytics and insights on his system’s solar production, and his home’s solar usage.

The energy tracking tools that are featured as standard in the Redback Portal include self-sufficiency reporting, energy use reports, and bought vs. sold energy comparisons (among many others). On top of those, Neil was looking to take more control of his solar, and better understand his energy habits.

So, Neil also raised a Support Request with Redback’s Technical Support Team to activate his Analysis charts – an in-depth reporting tool offering detailed insights on PV, grid power, solar generation, and backup power.

By the next day, Redback’s Technical Support Team had activated the Analysis charts, and was able to get to work analysing his home’s energy trends and looking for opportunities to optimise and gain more self-sufficiency.

“I am genuinely pleased with my Redback system. The continuous access to detailed information via the MyRedback app and portal is invaluable,” he said.

“I’m addicted to the app – I check it every day.”

Optimising energy habits

The insights offered by the MyRedback app and Redback Portal not only showed Neil how much his solar system was producing, it was comparing how much power he was using against the same statistic. On this valuable data, Neil said: “I’ve learned more in the last month with Redback than in the previous eight years with my previous system.”

Off the back of the analysis charts, Neil made a notable adjustment – optimising the timing of high-power appliances. After being able to view peak solar times via his analysis charts, Neil was able to align high-power activities (such as running his dishwasher) to these fluctuations. From there, Neil has begun to maximise his self-consumption while minimising reliance on energy retailers by using more solar power, and less grid power.

Yamba’s variable weather patterns presented another opportunity for Neil to leverage his newfound insights. During periods of adverse weather in early 2024, Neil monitored fluctuations in solar production closely through the MyRedback app. This proactive approach allowed him to adjust his energy usage in real-time, ensuring efficient management of household energy resources.

Throughout those periods of rough Aussie weather, Neil’s system also remained unaffected – still working optimally and looking good-as-new on the outside of his home.

The verdict

Continuing to embark upon a journey towards energy efficiency and sustainability, Neil remains confident that the insights provided via the MyRedback app and Redback Portal will continue to help him make informed decisions about his energy usage.

“Having more information and data at your disposal to make those informed decisions is what it’s all about.”

After already hitting a milestone of 70% self-sufficiency, Neil’s optimisation habits will no-doubt work towards elevating this number, and giving Neil and his family more independence from the grid.

Neil’s experience serves as a compelling illustration of the profound benefits that advanced solar technology can bring to homeowners. This technology, paired with next-level reporting tools like the MyRedback app and Redback Portal, offer real-world advantages to homeowners looking to take control of their home’s energy.