Monthly Energy Generation Report (PostgreSQL → PDF → Email)

This workflow automatically collects monthly energy generation data from a PostgreSQL database, converts it into a structured PDF report and emails it to stakeholders. It eliminates manual report creation and ensures timely delivery of performance summaries.

Who’s it for

• Energy companies monitoring solar, wind or hydro generation
• Operations & maintenance (O&M) teams needing monthly summaries
• Managers and executives who require periodic performance reports
• Data analysts who want automated reporting instead of manual exports

How it works

1. Monthly Trigger → Schedules the workflow to run once a month.
2. Postgres Node → Fetches energy data from the energy_data table.
3. Code Node (Transform Data) → Structures the raw records into JSON with metadata (date_range, records, note).
4. HTTP Request (PDF.co API) → Converts structured data into a formatted PDF report.
5. Gmail Node (Send Report) → Sends the PDF report (or link) via email to the configured recipient.

How to set up

1. Import the workflow JSON into n8n.

2. Configure credentials:

   • PostgreSQL connection (DB host, user, password, database, schema).
   • Gmail OAuth2 credentials.
   • PDF.co API key (for HTML → PDF conversion).

3. Update:

   • Database table (energy_data).
   • Email recipients in the Gmail node.
   • PDF template (if custom formatting is required).

4. Activate workflow.

Requirements

• n8n (self-hosted or cloud)
• PostgreSQL database with energy generation data
• PDF.co API account with valid API key
• Gmail account with OAuth2 access
• Internet access for API calls

How to customize

• Change the SQL query in the Postgres node to filter specific plants or date ranges.
• Update the Code node to add extra fields (e.g., average power, anomalies).
• Modify the PDF.co request body to use a custom HTML template for branding.
• Replace Gmail with Outlook, SMTP, or Slack for distribution.

Add-ons

• Add Slack/Teams node to notify teams when reports are sent.
• Store PDFs in Google Drive or S3 for archival.
• Add a dashboard (e.g., Grafana or Superset) that references the same DB for real-time view.
• Integrate with Jira to auto-create tasks for underperformance alerts.

Use Case Examples

• Solar company emailing monthly reports to plant owners.
• Wind farm operator generating regulatory compliance reports.
• O&M teams automating KPI summaries for executives.
• Consulting firms monitoring multiple clients’ energy production.

Common Troubleshooting

Issue

Possible Cause

Solution

Workflow does not trigger

Cron not set correctly

Verify Schedule Trigger node interval is monthly

No data returned from Postgres

Wrong schema/table or DB creds

Check DB connection and table name

PDF not generated

Invalid/missing PDF.co API key

Generate a new key in PDF.co dashboard

Email not sent

Gmail OAuth expired or wrong recipient

Reconnect Gmail credentials and confirm recipient email

PDF output malformed

Incorrect JSON → HTML conversion

Check Code node formatting and PDF.co request body

Need Help?

Our n8n workflow automation experts at WeblineIndia can help you:

• Set up the PostgreSQL connection securely,
• Customize the PDF layout with your company branding,
• Add more delivery channels (Slack, Teams, S3),
• Extend reporting logic (KPIs, charts, anomaly detection),
• And so much more.