Overview: A Data-Driven Approach to Solar Performance Monitoring

At one of Australia Post’s key logistics hubs—the Moorabbin Distribution Centre in Victoria—solar performance plays a vital role in supporting the organisation’s sustainability goals and reducing electricity costs at scale. With a busy operational footprint and no on-site energy monitoring infrastructure in place, Australia Post needed a fast, accurate, and cost-effective solution to understand how much solar energy was offsetting grid consumption—and to know instantly when it wasn’t.

Working with AlphaX Solar Analytics, Australia Post implemented a low-cost, rapid-deployment monitoring solution that now delivers precise solar production vs. consumption insights and proactive alerts to remote facility managers.

Fast Installation with Current Transformers for Maximum Efficiency

One of the key advantages of this project was the rapid deployment time and minimal installation disruption. The solution was installed directly in the site’s electrical switchboard using Current Transformers (CTs), providing real-time visibility of both solar generation and site energy usage—without the need for invasive cabling or complex hardware integration.

• The entire installation was completed in under one hour, with zero impact on site operations.
• CTs were clipped around the solar and mains feeds inside the switchboard, allowing instant measurement of both energy production and consumption.
• The installation avoided the need to interface directly with the inverter—eliminating compatibility concerns and saving time and cost.
• This switchboard-level approach ensured accurate energy offset monitoring and significantly reduced installation expenses compared to traditional inverter-level integrations.

This streamlined deployment is a strong example of how AlphaX enables high-value solar analytics without high-cost infrastructure.

Real-Time Offset Measurement: Solar vs. Grid

By measuring both production and consumption in real time, the system provides an accurate view of the net solar offset—that is, the amount of energy the facility generates and consumes on-site, reducing its reliance on grid electricity.

This has given Australia Post valuable insight into:

• How much energy the site is generating
• How much energy is being used on-site vs. exported to the grid
• How much grid electricity is being offset daily, weekly, and monthly

This offset data is also translated into financial terms, with AlphaX calculating the equivalent cost savings based on site-specific electricity tariffs—a key benefit for facility and sustainability reporting.

Remote Monitoring and Daily Alerting for Facilities Teams

A critical part of the project was ensuring that offsite facilities teams could be immediately alerted if the solar system wasn’t performing as expected. The AlphaX platform enables fully remote access to live dashboards and automated alerts, ensuring the right teams are informed without needing to be physically on-site.

Australia Post also deployed a custom algorithm within AlphaX, calculating the expected daily production based on historical data, system size, and seasonal conditions. If production falls outside an acceptable tolerance range, an automatic alarm is triggered, notifying the facilities team for further investigation.

This enables:

• Rapid identification of faults or underperformance
• Clear visibility into whether systems are operating within normal parameters
• Daily performance assurance without manual checks

Precision Insights Across a Single, Critical Site

Although the Moorabbin Distribution Centre has only one solar system, the AlphaX solution brings enterprise-grade insights to this facility:

• Switchboard-level monitoring ensures real-time accuracy
• Custom performance benchmarking delivers facility-specific insights
• Remote alerting and dashboards reduce reliance on site-based personnel
• Financial and sustainability reporting is fully automated and traceable

Key Project Highlights:

• Installation completed in under one hour
• Current Transformers used for fast, low-cost deployment
• Direct measurement of production and consumption at the switchboard
• Real-time offset tracking and financial savings calculations
• Daily expected vs. actual production analysis with custom algorithms
• Remote alerting to facilities teams via AlphaX platform

Final Thought

The Australia Post Moorabbin Distribution Centre case study demonstrates how a smart, low-cost installation using CTs and switchboard-level monitoring can deliver deep solar insights and operational value. By combining rapid deployment with intelligent analytics, Australia Post now has real-time visibility, early fault detection, and measurable solar ROI—all without touching the inverter.