Development of a software application to evaluate the performance and energy losses of grid-connected photovoltaic systems

Abstract The aim of this paper was to design and develop a software application that enables users to perform an automated analysis of data from the monitoring of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. This application integrates data from all devices already in operation such as environmental sensors, inverters and meters, which record information on typical PV installations. This required the development of a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), consisting of a series of linked databases, enabling all PV system information to be stored; and a software, called S·lar, which enables all information from the monitoring to be automatically migrated to the database as well as determining some standard magnitudes related to performances and losses of PV installation components at different time scales. A visualization tool, which is both graphical and numerical, makes access to all of the information be a simple task. Moreover, the application enables relationships between parameters and/or magnitudes to be easily established. Furthermore, it can perform a preliminary analysis of the influence of PV installations on the distribution grids where the produced electricity is injected. The operation of such a software application was implemented by performing the analysis of two grid-connected PV installations located in Andalusia, Spain, via data monitoring therein. The monitoring took place from January 2011 to May 2012.

[1]  G. Shi,et al.  Graphene/polymer composites for energy applications , 2013 .

[2]  H. Radhi.  Energy analysis of façade-integrated photovoltaic systems applied to UAE commercial buildings , 2010 .

[3]  Miguel A. Sanz-Bobi,et al.  Intelligent system for a remote diagnosis of a photovoltaic solar power plant , 2012 .

[4]  K. Otani,et al.  Long‐term performance degradation of various kinds of photovoltaic modules under moderate climatic conditions , 2011 .

[5]  Brian Norton,et al.  Long term performance analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic system in Northern Ireland , 2006 .

[6]  Kenji Otani,et al.  Effects of solar spectrum and module temperature on outdoor performance of photovoltaic modules in round‐robin measurements in Japan , 2011 .

[7]  J. Johnson,et al.  Photovoltaic prognostics and heath management using learning algorithms , 2012, 2012 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference.

[8]  Aissa Chouder,et al.  Monitoring, modelling and simulation of PV systems using LabVIEW , 2013 .

[9]  I. Etier,et al.  Energy Yield of Tracking PV Systems in Jordan , 2012 .

[10]  Danny H.W. Li,et al.  A study of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system in Hong Kong , 2012 .

[11]  Aissa Chouder,et al.  Automatic supervision and fault detection of PV systems based on power losses analysis , 2010 .

[12]  Zhengming Zhao,et al.  Grid-connected photovoltaic power systems: Technical and potential problems—A review , 2010 .

[13]  M. Gradzki,et al.  1-kW grid connected PV system after 3 years of monitoring , 2005, Conference Record of the Thirty-first IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2005..

[14]  F. Martinez-Moreno,et al.  Experimental model to estimate shading losses on PV arrays , 2010 .

[15]  L. Podesta,et al.  GSM-based monitoring and control of photovoltaic power generation , 2007 .

[16]  M. Drif,et al.  Univer Project. A grid connected photovoltaic system of 200kWp at Jaén University. Overview and performance analysis , 2007 .

[17]  Zvonimir Klaić,et al.  Expansion of the residential photovoltaic systems and its harmonic impact on the distribution grid , 2012 .

[18]  G. Makrides,et al.  Potential of photovoltaic systems in countries with high solar irradiation , 2010 .

[19]  Takashi Oozeki,et al.  Performance trends in grid-connected photovoltaic systems for public and industrial use in Japan , 2010 .

[20]  Charis S. Demoulias,et al.  A new simple analytical method for calculating the optimum inverter size in grid-connected PV plants , 2010 .

[21]  Thomas R. Betts,et al.  Uncertainty in Photovoltaic performance parameters – dependence on location and material , 2009 .

[22]  Napat Watjanatepin,et al.  System performance of a three-phase PV-grid-connected system installed in Thailand: Data monitored analysis , 2009 .

[23]  Yuzuru Ueda,et al.  Performance analysis of various system configurations on grid-connected residential PV systems , 2009 .

[24]  Ammar Ben Brahim,et al.  A Low Cost Wireless Data Acquisition System for a Remote Photovoltaic (PV) Water Pumping System , 2011 .

[25]  Emmanuel Kymakis,et al.  Performance analysis of a grid connected photovoltaic park on the island of Crete , 2009 .

[26]  Roar R. Søndergaard,et al.  Advanced materials and processes for polymer solar cell devices , 2010 .

[27]  Ibrahim Dincer,et al.  Performance analysis of photovoltaic systems: A review , 2009 .

[28]  Mariano Sidrach-de-Cardona,et al.  Performance analysis of a grid-connected photovoltaic system , 1999 .

[29]  Math Bollen,et al.  Grid impact from PV-installations in northern Scandinavia , 2013 .

[30]  Wim Turkenburg,et al.  Using CAD software to simulate PV energy yield – The case of product integrated photovoltaic operated under indoor solar irradiation , 2010 .

[31]  P. Tsankov.  SOFTWARE FOR MONITORING A GRID CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT , 2011 .

[32]  M. G. De Giorgi,et al.  Performance measurements of monocrystalline silicon PV modules in South-eastern Italy , 2013 .

[33]  Lacour M Ayompe,et al.  Measured performance of a 1.72 kW rooftop grid connected photovoltaic system in Ireland , 2011 .

[34]  Mahmoud Alahmad,et al.  An adaptive utility interactive photovoltaic system based on a flexible switch matrix to optimize performance in real-time , 2012 .

[35]  W. Warta,et al.  Solar cell efficiency tables (Version 45) , 2015 .

[36]  Martin A. Green,et al.  Solar cell efficiency tables (version 37) , 2011 .

[37]  Aissa Chouder,et al.  Automatic fault detection in grid connected PV systems , 2013 .

[38]  Luis Muñoz,et al.  ENERGIA SOLAR FOTOVOLTAICA , 2012, Anais Congresso Brasileiro de Energia Solar - CBENS.

[39]  J. M. Molina-Martínez,et al.  A new mobile application for maintenance tasks in photovoltaic installations by using GPS data , 2012 .