Course Content

Solar power plants need to be monitored for optimum power output. This helps retrieve efficient power output from power plants while monitoring for faulty solar panels, connections, dust accumulated on panels lowering output and other such issues affecting solar performance. So here we propose an automated IOT based solar power monitoring system that allows for automated solar power monitoring from anywhere over the internet. We use arduino based system to monitor a 10Watt solar panel parameters. Our system constantly monitors the solar panel and transmits the power output to IOT system over the internet. Here we use IOT Gecko to transmit solar power parameters over the internet to IOT Gecko server. It now displays these parameters to the user using an effective GUI and also alerts user when the output falls below specific limits. This makes remotely monitoring of solar plants very easy and ensure best power output. 

e Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of related computing devices, digital and mechanical machines, objects, people with unique identifiers and potential transfer of data over a network without human-to-human or human-to- computer interaction. Physical objects those are no longer disconnected from the virtual world, but can be controlled remotely through Internet services. A smart world is nothing but Smart devices, Smartphones, Smart cars, Smart homes and Smart cities. “Smart” objects play a key role in the vision of IoT, since embedded communication and information technology would have the potential to revolutionize. With the growing presence of WiFi and 4G-LTE wireless Internet access, the evolution towards omnipresent information and communication networks is already evident .

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Renewable energy will be the fastest- growing source of electricity, in which wind and solar PV are technologically mature and economically affordable. But still there is increase in world’s demand for energy. Adopting Renewable Energy technologies is one of the advance ways of reducing the environmental impact. The latest edition of the IEA’s Medium-Term Renewable Market Report specifies the renewable energy growth about 13% more between 2015 and 2021 than it was in last year’s. The share of renewable energy in overall electricity generation will rise from over 23% in 2015 to almost 28% in 2021. Solar energy is universally available all over the world and can contribute to minimize the dependence of energy imports. In 90 minutes, enough sunlight strikes the earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.

PV leads to no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants during operation. Solar has many benefits like system-friendly deployment, improved operating strategies, advanced renewable energy forecasting and enhanced scheduling of power plants and also investment in additional flexible resources, comprising demand-side resources, electricity storage, grid infrastructure and flexible generation. The traditional method focuses on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) which is a measure of cost for a particular generating technology at the level of a power plant that is no longer sufficient. About a million solar panels were installed every day around the world last year. Solar PV leads providing almost 40% of global renewable electricity capacity growth over the medium-term. Finally, in analyzing the evolution of electricity and energy- consuming sectors, it explores the prime role solar energy could play in the long-term future of our energy system.