3G Shutdown: Online Monitoring Not Reporting

As we have come to accept, technology is ever evolving, thus, making some devices and networks useless in their path of upward growth. Among these items that are finding themselves in the dated technology category, are solar meters that rely on a 3G card to communicate with the internet. Starting in 2022, technology companies have begun the phase-out of 3G. If your system is one that relies on 3G to report, your system's SREC monitoring may be affected. What does this mean for your meter, SRECs, and payments? Let's take a deeper look to explore the options. 

What's Next?

If your system is one of the bunch that relies on 3G to report, you have options. The first is to contact your installation company to upgrade the meter to a 5G/LTE network that is now compatible with the production meter. This would allow for online reporting and monitoring like usual. You can continue to sell your SRECs and allow online access for monitoring. The upgrade has associated costs and is recommended to contact your installer for specifics before proceeding.

If an upgrade is not in your cards, you can continue to sell your SRECs, but instead, will need to self-report. Self-reporting is needed to be maintained at least quarterly but is preferred monthly. To successfully self-report your solar meter readings observe the digital display of your meter and identify the numerical value (see the below example). This will be your system's latest lifetime reading. We are needing that value and the metric.

The options for payments will vary from those who self-report and those who have online access to their monitoring. The upfront option will not be available for self-reporters.