Solar Energy Production Monitoring Alert Workflow

This workflow automatically monitors solar energy production every 2 hours by fetching data from the Energidataservice API. If the energy output falls below a predefined threshold, it instantly notifies users via email. Otherwise, it logs the data into a Google Sheet and posts a daily summary to Slack.

Who’s It For

• Renewable energy teams monitoring solar output.
• Facility managers and power plant supervisors.
• ESG compliance officers tracking sustainability metrics.
• Developers or analysts automating solar energy reporting.

How It Works

1. Trigger: The workflow starts every 2 hours using a Schedule Trigger.
2. Data Fetch: An HTTP Request node fetches solar energy production data from the Energidataservice API.
3. Processing: A Code node filters out entries with production below the minimum threshold.
4. Decision Making: An If node checks whether any low-production entries are present.
5. Alerts: If low-production is detected, an email is sent via the Gmail node.
6. Logging: If all entries are valid, they are logged into a Google Sheet.
7. Slack Summary: A Slack node posts the summary sheet data for end-of-day visibility.

How to Set Up

1. Schedule Trigger: Configure to run every 2 hours.
2. HTTP Request Node:
   • Method: GET
   • URL: https://api.energidataservice.dk/dataset/YourDatasetHere
   • Add necessary headers and params as required by the API.
3. Code Node: Define logic to filter entries where solar_energy_production < required_threshold.
4. If Node: Use items.length > 0 to check for low-production entries.
5. Gmail Node:
   • Auth with Gmail credentials.
   • Customize recipient and message template.
6. Google Sheets Node:
   • Connect to a spreadsheet.
   • Map appropriate columns.
7. Slack Node:
   • Use Slack OAuth2 credentials.
   • Specify channel and message content.

Requirements

• n8n Cloud or Self-hosted instance.
• Access to Energidataservice API.
• Gmail account (with n8n OAuth2 integration).
• Google Sheets account & sheet ID.
• Slack workspace and app with appropriate permissions.

How to Customize

• Change Frequency: Adjust the Schedule Trigger interval (e.g., every hour or 4x per day).
• Threshold Tuning: Modify the value in the Code node to change the minimum acceptable solar production.
• Alert Routing: Update Gmail recipients or replace Gmail with Microsoft Outlook/SendGrid.
• Sheet Format: Add or remove columns in the Google Sheet based on extra metrics (e.g., wind or nuclear data).
• Slack Posting: Customize Slack messages using Markdown for improved readability.

Add‑ons

• Telegram Node: Send alerts to a Telegram group instead of email.
• Discord Webhook: Push updates to a Discord channel.
• n8n Webhook Trigger: Extend it to receive external production update notifications.
• Integromat/Make or Zapier: For multi-platform integration with CRMs or ticketing tools.

Use Case Examples

• Utility Companies: Automatically detect and act on solar underperformance to maintain grid stability.
• Solar Farm Operators: Log clean production data for auditing and compliance reports.
• Sustainability Teams: Track daily performance and anomalies without manual checks.
• Home Solar System Owners: Get notified if solar generation drops below expected.

Common Troubleshooting

| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution | | -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | HTTP Request fails | API key missing or URL is incorrect | Check API endpoint, parameters, and authentication headers | | Gmail not sending alerts | Missing or invalid Gmail credentials | Re-authenticate Gmail OAuth2 in n8n credentials | | No data getting logged in Google Sheet | Incorrect mapping or sheet permissions | Ensure the sheet exists, columns match, and credentials are correct | | Slack node fails | Invalid token or missing channel ID | Reconnect Slack credentials and check permissions | | Code node returns empty | Filter logic may be too strict | Validate data format and relax the threshold condition |

Need Help?

Need help setting this up or customizing it for your own solar or energy monitoring use case?

✅ Set it up on your n8n Cloud or self-hosted instance ✅ Customize it for your own API or data source ✅ Modify alerts to suit your internal tools (Teams, Discord, SMS, etc.)

👉 Just reach out to our n8n automation team at WeblineIndia, we'll be happy to help.