Development of solar radiation measurement sensor with added value to promote wide-area solar power prediction technology

Abstract

In this study, we investigated a scenario where the prediction technology for the total output of distributed photovoltaic power generation over a wide area could be more efficiently disseminated by sharing the costs with society, rather than burdening only specific companies with the costs. To achieve this goal, we not only focused on measuring the amount of solar radiation but also incorporated additional parameters into the solar radiation sensor, which is essential for improving the accuracy of the prediction technology. The fundamental configuration of the developed sensor consists of an organic thin film solar cell (OPV), and the output is utilized to transmit the output data externally. Utilizing the surplus power from the OPV, we examined and produced three types of sensors: 1) a sensor with a CO₂ measurement function, 2) a sensor with a mist spray function, and 3) a sensor with a photography function using a drive recorder. As a result, all sensors met the predetermined functions and target specifications.