Probeless Measurement of Solar Photovoltaic Modules
Disciplines
Electrical and Computer Engineering | Power and Energy
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Solar power has emerged as a potential renewable and sustainable energy source. Measurement, testing, and evaluation of solar panels are important for power management, industrial quality control, and research. Commercial instruments available for this purpose are expensive and bulky. In addition, they are not suitable to deploy in a solar power field. Such limitations pose a barrier to continuous monitoring of solar panels’ health after production when they are commissioned outdoor in a solar power plant. In this project, we have developed an innovative solution to address these challenges. We have designed and fabricated a low-cost device for remote monitoring of solar panels. Our device can measure solar panel’s current, voltage and power with up to 2% accuracy compared to typical commercial instruments. Our device integrates a microcontroller, a capacitive load, a voltage/current measurement circuit, an energy harvesting circuit, electronically controllable switches, and a temperature sensor circuit. The device can measure the electrical parameters of a solar module even under 30% of STC light intensity. The integrated Wi-Fi of the microcontroller allows remote measurement without any probes. In addition to the hardware, we have also created a python program that can analyze the electrical parameters and performance of a solar panel and evaluate its health. It can also alert the maintenance personnel in case of any faults or malfunctioning. In addition, our device promises the application of new techniques to attain higher operating efficiency of a solar plant, thus producing additional carbon-free energy for a more sustainable world.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Sandip Das
Probeless Measurement of Solar Photovoltaic Modules
Solar power has emerged as a potential renewable and sustainable energy source. Measurement, testing, and evaluation of solar panels are important for power management, industrial quality control, and research. Commercial instruments available for this purpose are expensive and bulky. In addition, they are not suitable to deploy in a solar power field. Such limitations pose a barrier to continuous monitoring of solar panels’ health after production when they are commissioned outdoor in a solar power plant. In this project, we have developed an innovative solution to address these challenges. We have designed and fabricated a low-cost device for remote monitoring of solar panels. Our device can measure solar panel’s current, voltage and power with up to 2% accuracy compared to typical commercial instruments. Our device integrates a microcontroller, a capacitive load, a voltage/current measurement circuit, an energy harvesting circuit, electronically controllable switches, and a temperature sensor circuit. The device can measure the electrical parameters of a solar module even under 30% of STC light intensity. The integrated Wi-Fi of the microcontroller allows remote measurement without any probes. In addition to the hardware, we have also created a python program that can analyze the electrical parameters and performance of a solar panel and evaluate its health. It can also alert the maintenance personnel in case of any faults or malfunctioning. In addition, our device promises the application of new techniques to attain higher operating efficiency of a solar plant, thus producing additional carbon-free energy for a more sustainable world.