Fox Cloud 2.0
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2024 10:34 am
I have struggled to work out the precise meanings of the terms 'Self-consumption', 'Consumption' and 'Self-sufficiency' as used on the second page of the new FoxCloud App. This is what I think they mean. If anyone knows differently, please enlighten me.
1. 'Production' (P) is the total energy output in the given time interval from the PV panels.
2. 'Export' (E) is, obviously, the total energy exported to the grid.
3. 'Self-consumption' (SC) is therefore the total energy generated by the panels which is consumed on site.
4. 'Consumption' (C) is the total amount of energy used to power your TV, lights, washing machine etc in the house.
It is made up of two parts:
5. 'Import' (I) which is, obviously, the amount of energy imported from the grid, and
6. 'Self-sufficiency' (SS) which is the amount of useful energy delivered to the house from the inverter/battery system
As an example, my lifetime figures are currently as follows:
Production = 10.5, Export = 5.3 and Self-consumption = 5.2 MWh
Consumption = 5.6, Import = 1.8 and Self-sufficiency = 3.8 Mwh
Much of the confusion arises from the fact that the figures for 'Self-consumption' and 'Consumption' are often very similar and some members have wondered why they are not the same. The fact is, these two figure have no relation to one another. The interesting comparison is between 'Self-consumption' and 'Self-sufficiency'. The difference between these two is equal to the total amount of energy lost in the conversion processes inside the inverter and battery.
In my case this figure amounts to 5.2 - 3.8 = 1.4 MWh which works out at an average rate of 70W. Not much more than an old-fashioned light bulb.
Another interesting figure which you can calculate is to divide this figure by the total production (P) and express it as a percentage: 1.4/10.5 x 100 = 13%. This is the percentage of the total energy produced by the panels which is wasted as heat. The overall efficiency of my system has therefore been 87% which I regard as pretty remarkable. (Note that if you do this calculation over a short time period such as a day you will only get reliable results if the battery is in the same state at both ends of the time period.)
One last point. Although the figures for the lifetime usage appear accurate, the daily and monthly figures before February 2024 are incorrect. I do not know if FoxESS plans to update the database which FoxCloud 2.0 uses.
I hope this information is correct and useful. It would have saved me a lot of mental effort if Fox had issued a simple guide themselves explaining all this.
Oliver Linton
1. 'Production' (P) is the total energy output in the given time interval from the PV panels.
2. 'Export' (E) is, obviously, the total energy exported to the grid.
3. 'Self-consumption' (SC) is therefore the total energy generated by the panels which is consumed on site.
4. 'Consumption' (C) is the total amount of energy used to power your TV, lights, washing machine etc in the house.
It is made up of two parts:
5. 'Import' (I) which is, obviously, the amount of energy imported from the grid, and
6. 'Self-sufficiency' (SS) which is the amount of useful energy delivered to the house from the inverter/battery system
As an example, my lifetime figures are currently as follows:
Production = 10.5, Export = 5.3 and Self-consumption = 5.2 MWh
Consumption = 5.6, Import = 1.8 and Self-sufficiency = 3.8 Mwh
Much of the confusion arises from the fact that the figures for 'Self-consumption' and 'Consumption' are often very similar and some members have wondered why they are not the same. The fact is, these two figure have no relation to one another. The interesting comparison is between 'Self-consumption' and 'Self-sufficiency'. The difference between these two is equal to the total amount of energy lost in the conversion processes inside the inverter and battery.
In my case this figure amounts to 5.2 - 3.8 = 1.4 MWh which works out at an average rate of 70W. Not much more than an old-fashioned light bulb.
Another interesting figure which you can calculate is to divide this figure by the total production (P) and express it as a percentage: 1.4/10.5 x 100 = 13%. This is the percentage of the total energy produced by the panels which is wasted as heat. The overall efficiency of my system has therefore been 87% which I regard as pretty remarkable. (Note that if you do this calculation over a short time period such as a day you will only get reliable results if the battery is in the same state at both ends of the time period.)
One last point. Although the figures for the lifetime usage appear accurate, the daily and monthly figures before February 2024 are incorrect. I do not know if FoxESS plans to update the database which FoxCloud 2.0 uses.
I hope this information is correct and useful. It would have saved me a lot of mental effort if Fox had issued a simple guide themselves explaining all this.
Oliver Linton