Monitor Solar Energy Production & Send Alerts with Gmail, Google Sheets, and Slack

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

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

How to Set Up

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