Meter data, tariffs, and budgets

SolarSENS uses meter readings, tariffs, and budgets for different jobs:

Meter readings describe measured energy movement
Tariffs apply configured rates to selected energy and show estimated monetary values
Budgets provide planned targets for performance comparison

Meter readings

Meters normally report cumulative import and export counters. These counters increase over time, like an odometer.

SolarSENS calculates daily energy from the difference between consecutive cumulative readings:

Daily energy = current cumulative reading - previous cumulative reading

Import is energy recorded in the meter’s import direction
Export is energy recorded in the meter’s export direction
End-of-day values are the cumulative counters at the end of the selected day
Daily values are the changes during that day

Measured daily energy

Cumulative meter readings are measured values. Daily energy is calculated from those readings; it is not a separate meter counter.

Illustrative example — not a product claim: if a cumulative import reading is 12,450 kWh at the end of a day and the previous reading is 12,300 kWh, the daily import energy is:

12,450 kWh - 12,300 kWh = 150 kWh

This calculation describes the energy recorded between the two cumulative readings. It does not determine a tariff, settlement amount, or performance target.

Some meters also separate energy into Rate 1, Rate 2, and Rate 3 counters. These rate bands remain distinct from the total import and export counters.

Tariffs and estimated values

A tariff assigns a price per kWh to a rate band. SolarSENS supports up to three rates:

Tariff 1 is the default rate outside any Tariff 2 or Tariff 3 windows
Tariff 2 and Tariff 3 can represent additional rate windows
A schedule can use the plant’s preset meter windows or custom day-and-time ranges

The Billing workspace uses the configured rate and currency to show estimated import and export values. These values are operational estimates, not settlement amounts. Your commercial agreement remains the authority for settlement, taxes, adjustments, and invoice treatment.

Tariff history provides context when you review an earlier period. The workspace shows which saved tariff snapshot is in use, so a later rate change does not silently redefine the context of an older review.

Meter direction

Meter direction determines which counters SolarSENS treats as import and export.

Most meters use the normal direction. If a meter was installed or mapped with the opposite convention, an authorized administrator can enable Swap import/export for that meter.

This setting changes SolarSENS interpretation, not the physical meter. After changing it, verify the next readings against a trusted source.

Performance budgets

Performance budgets are planned comparison values for the Insights waterfall. They include:

expected production, used as Budget Yield
expected irradiation
irradiation loss
unavailability loss
overspill loss
soiling loss
annual performance ratio

Potential Generation is Budget Yield after the planned loss allowances.

Budgets are planned targets, not observed production or an automatic forecast. They provide a reference for comparing actual performance with an agreed plan.

Keep configuration separate

Configuration	What it controls
Meter Tariff	participating meters, currency, cleaning cost, rate values, and schedules
Meter Adjustments	normal or swapped import/export interpretation for each meter
Budget Config	performance targets used by the Insights waterfall
Billing	billing-cycle day and the workbook template used for bill generation

Next, review meter data or configure billing inputs.