A Monitoring System for PV plants using Open Technologies

Abstract

Monitoring of photovoltaic (PV) plants is crucial for optimal operation and timely fault diagnosis as well as system maintenance. In this work, we propose a telemetry system, based on IoT open technologies, to support the work of specialized personnel in charge of monitoring the operation of various PV plants. PV installations use various types of inverters and technologies which vary between providers as well as a variety of communication methods. The proposed system collects all data concerning the production and operation of several PV plants in one platform, with a user-friendly interface and mobile application. Data from different telemetry systems is integrated and displayed in a unified manner, allowing monitoring at a glance, reduced entry delays when using different proprietary platforms and providing the basis for remote fault detection systems using advanced machine learning techniques. The architecture of the system is described and results are shown from its implementation in five PV plants with different generation capacities, topologies, and communication systems.