Book excerpt: Examines the integration of hardware with stand-alone PV panels and real time monitoring of factors affecting the efficiency of the photovoltaic panels Offers the real time implementation of soft computing and embedded system in the area of solar energy Discusses how soft computing plays a huge role in the prediction of efficiency of stand-alone and grid connected solar PV systems Discusses how embedded system applications with smart monitoring can control and enhance the efficiency of stand-alone and grid connected solar PV systems Explores swarm intelligence techniques for solar PV parameter estimation