Organizers
Firstgreen Consulting Pvt Ltd
MNIT Jaipur
Solar Power Project Development
One week training course certified by NISE
Solar Plant Operation and Maintenance, Performance monitoring
Agenda
Plant control systems and monitoring
System description and infrastructure
requirement for monitoring system
Plant security system
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•Monitoring of plant malfunction and health of eavry device in the plant
•Remote monitoring allows to monitor data from a remote location
•Monitoring of solar plant can enhance your plant yield significantly
•The plant owner can monitor the plant performance ratio in real time
Control & Telecommunication Systems: Introduction
Plant monitoring system
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Control & Telecommunication Systems: Introduction
On-site weather stations
Transformers Photovoltai
c Combining Switchgear Substatio
n
Gen Tie-line
Power Grid
To measure the plane of array irradiance, module
temperature and preferably horizontal global
irradiance, humidity and wind speed.
This is the option of preference for many current
utility scale Pv power plants. It allows data to be
collected and compared remotely with yield figures
on a daily basis for immediate fault detection.
Control & Telecommunication Systems: Introduction
Monitoring plant daily operational parameters
Transformers Photovoltai
c Combining Switchgear Substatio
n
Gen Tie-line
Power Grid
The performance management (either onsite or
remote) of the Pv power plant enables the tracking of
inverters or strings.
Flagging any element of the power plant that falls
outside pre-determined performance bands. Failure or
error messages can be automatically generated and
sent to the power plant service team via fax, email or
text message.
The generation of yield reports detailing individual
component performance, and benchmarking the
reports against those of other components or
locations.
Control & Telecommunication Systems: Introduction
Forecasting the plant performance
Transformers Photovoltai
c Combining Switchgear Substatio
n
Gen Tie-line
Power Grid
•Solar plants are non dispatchable, however in case
of merchant power plants, the generation schedules
needs to be forecasted for next 24 hours.
•There are commercial algorithms available for plant
data forecasting, which takes in to consideration of
parameters such as WMS data, plant tilt angles, plant
available capacity, and other operational aspects of
the plant.
The generation of yield reports detailing individual
component performance, and benchmarking the
reports against those of other components or
locations.
Monitoring System
Monitoring system Wired type are
more reliable
Monitoring system with wireless
technology may lead to data
interference
Some of the generidc parameters are
already monitored in the equipments such
as inverters, and energy meters.
Customised algorithms are required for
specific plant monitoring and creating
benchmarks
There is also a need to have knowledgebase
to interpret the plant data
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Designing a reliable monitoring system
Transformers Photovoltai
c Combining Switchgear Substatio
n
Gen Tie-line
Power Grid
Element Parameters Incidences
Panels ‐ String current
‐ Irradiance
‐ Module malfunctioning
‐ Isolating error
Inverter ‐ Instant power
‐ Produced energy
‐ CO2 Emissions
‐Electronic failure (low
performance)
‐ Electric failure (stop)
Meter ‐ Produced kWh
‐ Load profile
‐ Meter stop
Transformer
grid
‐ Phase voltage
‐ Frequency
‐ grid out of range
PV Facility main elementsMajor parameters of the solar plant to be monitored
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Element Parameter Alerts / Warnings
Calibrated cell ‐ Radiation ‐ Low production, when
high radiation
Meteo Station ‐ Wind speed
‐ Temperature
‐ High wind speed
Current sensors ‐ Current
‐ Voltage
‐ Overvoltage
‐ System breakdown
Protections ‐ State (ON / OFF) ‐ Trigger
Other elements within a PV facility
Other elements within a PV facility
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Inverter
Meter
Options:
1. Design
- Wire
- Wireless
2. Logic
- Without logic:
Converter
- With logic:
Datalogger
Sensors Communications Control Room
Server
Display
Alarms
1.Data gathering
2.Data Analysis
3.Alert
generation
4.Internet
communication
5.Logs
Visualization
1. Locals:
Siren
2. SMS
3. E-mail
Internet
1. BBDD
2. Web
3. Tunnel
1. VPN
2. VNC
Datalogger
RS232/485
Ethernet
RS232/485
Monitoring System. TopologyMonitoring System .Topology
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Monitoring system: Routine
Data gathering & Analysis
Correct
Performance: average or higher than average
Incidences & parameters log
Performance: lightly lower than average
Parameter analysis
Include modifications in preventive maintenance
Actions/Modifications on the system
- In situ or by Remote control
- Report generation
- Corrective maintenance order
Performance: lower than average
Failure diagnosis
Alarm
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Monitoring System: Routine
Gateway Server
ON/OFF switches for system reclosing (i.e. in case of breakdown)
Security system
REMOTE PC
Tracker Control
INTERNET
Monitoring System
Remote control system. Basic topology
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Remote control system. Basic topology
Gateway Server
Tracker
Monitoring
system
Security
System
PC REMOTO
INTERNET - Updates
- Modifications
- Configuration
- New meters & inverters
- Updates
- Modifications
- Configurations
- Updates
- Modifications
- Configuration
An advanced remote control system requires larger bandwidth and robustness
Remote control system. Advanced topology
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Remote control system. Advanced topology
Internal communications
▪ Data transference between devices, dataloggers, Server & Gateway.
▪ Topology:
▪ Wireless: Bluetooth, wifi, GSM/GPRS/UMTS, etc..
▪ Wired: RS232, RS485, Ethernet, Optical Fiber, etc..
▪ Converters’ usage: Moxa, etc..
External communications
▪ To communicate remotely
▪ Topologies: RTB, ADSL, Satellite, GSM/GPRS/UMTS…
▪ Redundancy & robustness
Communications
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Communications
Gateway
ConversorEthernet –RS232/485
Meter BUS
Meter BUS
The electrical company remote meter reading, which is already being done in some countries,
as Spain, allows the electrical company (or the grid manager):
▪ Avoid having dedicated staff to read the meter locally for invoicing
▪ Receiving data from the meters, that well processed, can improve the grid performance
Modem GSM
Generator
GSMModem
Electrical company
Gateway
Server
RS232/485
Remote Meter Reading(From the electrical company)
* In the future PLC communications could be applied
Remote Meter Reading(From the electrical company)
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Using the same system in different facilities
▪ A system that works perfectly for a solar facility, may not work properly in a different one
due to different devices, SW versions, communication buses, countries, etc..
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Solutions compatibility
▪ Mixing commercial solutions from different manufacturers may produce system
malfunctions due to devices response times, transference times, bandwidths, etc..
▪ Many solutions are still under development.
Coverage failure
▪ Isolated areas. Without Telephone Network (PSTN), ADSL, UMTS or GPRS coverage
▪ Losing the communication channel would mean losing 90% of the system features
Usual problemsUsual problems
Example: Valdecarábanos Solar Plant. Spain
Operation orientated monitoringOperation orientated monitoring
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Remote control system
Used to remotely control the devices in the plant
▪ Devices:
▪ Inverter, suntracker, protections, monitoring system, security system
▪ NEVER the meters
▪ Reasons:
1. Save costs.
2. Legal requirement:
▪ Requirement from the Electric Company: remote control of the isolation cells
(of the transformer)
▪ Depending on each country regulations, the PV plants over a certain output
power could be obliged to be attached to a generation control center
It will usually be linked with the monitoring system
Remote control system
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Maintenance types
▪ Corrective: to solve an incidence
▪ Preventive: to prevent a possible incidence, before it happens.
Elements to maintain
▪ Inverter
▪ Suntracker
▪ Panels (maintenance is required to a lesser extent): cleaning up,
replacement…
Data sending for maintenance
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Data sending for maintenance
According to its origin:
▪ Internal: from the inverter
▪ External: from the plant.
▪ DC side: from the panels to the inverter.
▪ AC side: from the inverter to the grid
Inverter maintenance
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Failure classification:
According to its seriousness:
▪ Warning: minor failures. Many warnings can be expected. Generally, not important
▪ Alarm: serious failures. They should be minimized. They are important, and could imply
the plant stop
Inverter maintenance
Inverter maintenance
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Usual incidences:
▪ Isolation failure (cable without enough protection)
▪ External failure: from the plant.
▪ Low DC Voltage:
▪ External failure: AC side problem (in the modules array)
▪ MPP Tracking failure
▪ External failure: a wrong configuration could produce a
deviation from the MPPT
▪ Internal failure: Programming/Firmware problem
▪ Grid voltage or frequency out of range
▪ External failure: from the inverter to the grid
▪ Temperature limit
Inverter maintenance
Orientation/Position failure
▪ To check if it is synchronized or not
▪ In case of strong wind, to check if it is in
protection state or not
Motor overvoltage failure.
▪ Reducer breakdown
Limiting movement sensor
▪ Overpass the end charging sensors without
activating the stop signal
Suntracking maintenance
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Suntracking maintenance
Reasons:
▪ Expensive elements: inverters, panels, cable, etc
▪ Many thefts
▪ To avoid production losses (there are insurances which cover these losses)
▪ Isolated areas
▪ Long unattended periods (unless local staff is employed)
▪ Great communication problems
The perfect solution does not exist.
▪ But the best would be the combination of:
▪ Local staff
▪ Remote security systems
Security in the plant: IntroductionSecurity in the plant: Introduction
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Security in the plant: Possibilities
The possible security systems could be:
▪ Local staff
▪ Video surveillance system (CCTV)
▪ Perimeter sensors
▪ Panel sewing
▪ String controllers
▪ Infrared / Microwave controllers
The security systems keep evolving as the thieves develop new techniques
Security in the plant: Possibilities
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Security in the Plan: General scheme
Source: PYSEC Seguridad
Solar plant security system
Real time mobile phoneaccess
Real time internet access
Domo video camera
ADSL / GPRS
Control room
Optical Fiber
Acoustic &Luminouswaning
Video analysis.Intrusion detection
Night mode video cameras
Local authorities warning system
Security in the Plan: General scheme
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INDEX
Control & Telecommunication system
Control system components & infrastructures
Control system gathered data management
Plant security
Security systems
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Advantage
▪ Very dissuasive solution
Drawbacks
▪ The most expensive solution (in the Long Term)
▪ It may reduce the plant profitability
Options
▪ Employees
▪ Outsourcing
The optimal solution would be Local Staff & Video surveillance
Local staff (In the plant)
Local staff (In the plant)
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CCTV
▪Closed TV Circuit
▪It requires dedicated
transmission buses
IP - based
▪ Versatility
▪ Good quality
▪ Good transmission
▪ Less wiring
Video surveillance system
CCTV vs IP
Recommended: IP
System
Video surveillance system
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Digital Video Recorder (Encoder/Decoder)
▪ D1 Real Time Quality
▪ Great storage capacity
Optional:
▪ Alarms & relays management
▪ Remote control
▪ Video analyzer
▪ Using specialized software
▪ Expensive
▪ Movement detection
D1 Quality
- Full D1 video is 720x480.
- Cropped D1 is 704x480.
- Half D1 video is 352x480
Video Surveillance System: elementsVideo Surveillance System: elements
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Video camera
▪ They can be IP or analogical
▪ Quality: Up to D1 (Real time)
Long distance(Several Km*)
▪ Optical Zoom: 60x
Infrared
▪ Long distance
▪ Night viewing (when the risk is higher)
▪ Range: 1.5Km (0.00001 lux).
PTZ Control
▪ Automatic or Manual orientation & zoom control (Joystick).
* According to specs, up to 15 km.
Video Surveillance System: elementsVideo Surveillance System: elements
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ectrical
Perimeter sensor system
Best solution: optical fiber system
▪ Passive system: immune to storms or el
systems
▪ False alarms discrimination
▪ Alarm if the fiber is cut
▪ Alarm if a movement is detected
▪ Options:
▪ At the wall. More vulnerable
▪ Buried. More expensive (trench)
▪ Temperature range: -30º to 75º
Movement/Passage
areas
Anti – Intrusion systems
Rubber tube Metallic tube
Anti – Intrusion systems
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Presence sensor
▪ Detects:
▪ Infrared: thermal energy variations
▪ Microwaves: movements
▪ Configurable:
▪ Alarm only if double detection
▪ Problems in foggy areas
▪ Alarm if any detection
▪ False alarms
Anti-intrusion systemAnti-intrusion system
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Panel sewing (with optical fiber)
▪ Attached to every panel (at the backside)
▪ Alarm if the fiber is cut
▪ Difficult execution
▪ Temperature range: -30º a +75º
▪ Another option could be a conductive wire system
▪ Depending on the wire impedance
▪ Immune to sabotage
Anti-theft systemAnti-theft system
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String Controller
▪ Both for monitoring and security systems
During the days
▪ It controls the power (Current/Voltage) on the panel strings
▪ It protects the plant with integrated fuses
During the night
▪ It detects if the electrical cable is cut/broken
▪ Even if there is no voltage or current
This is quite a new system
Anti-theft systemAnti-theft system
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Local alarm:
▪ Siren, Lighting, Speakers
▪ Dissuasive
Local staff:
▪ SMS, E-Mail, Phone call
▪ To control, or to warn the authorities
Warning the authorities:
▪ Private entity or the public authorities
▪ We have to consider the distance from the authorities to
the plant
Siren
Study the inputs
-Plant visibility
-Distance to the
security entity
-Etc.
Two options:
-Dissuasive: to
avoid being stolen
- To try to catch the
thief
Alarm managementAlarm management
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Other possibilities
Virtual patrols
▪ Nowadays, a possibility that can mean an important saving in physical surveillance is the
called "virtual patrol“
▪ The virtual patrol simulates an ordinary guard patrol, but it is done from a remote central
of the surveillance company using a system of video cameras
Security for rooftop facilities
▪ Usually, for this type of projects, no surveillance system is installed but the ones already
used by the clients, as this facilities are normally located in urban zones.
▪ If the facility is located in an isolated area and the roof is not very high or difficult to
access, it is recommended to apply one of the security systems described within this
presentation
▪ It is also recommended to have the “all risk insurance” in force.
Other possibilities
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FirstGreen Consulting Private Limited
Gurgaon:
MA 74, Gurgaon – 122002, India
Tel.: (+91) 124 4650224, 9899295854
Web: www.firstgreen.co
Email: [email protected]
Thank You
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