For the net-zero emissions, how IoT upgrades the efficiency of the solar power generation

According to the report of the IEA, solar power generation increased by a record 179 TWh (up 22%) in 2021 to exceed 1 000 TWh. And average annual growth of 25% in the period 2022-2030 is needed to follow the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.

With the rapid development of the solar power industry, distributed solar power plants have become dominant in terms of quantity. In addition, the on-site environment of solar power plants is becoming more complicated than ever, leading to many difficulties to monitor the equipment. Besides, there are a number of manufacturers in the solar power industry, whose equipment standards are not unified so it is difficult for equipment to access the network quickly.

Based on the needs of the solar power industry, SIMCom provides abundant wireless modules and solutions to automatically upload data of equipment and operation of the solar power system to the IoT cloud platform, which simplifies the management process and increases transparency to a large extent.

Remote monitoring

Wireless cellular network has the features of wide coverage, multiple access, and low cost, which highly meets the data transmission needs of monitoring solar power equipment. Sensors equipped with wireless modules can deliver data from photovoltaic solar panels, inverters, charge controllers, batteries, electric boxes, and other devices to the cloud platform and specify their real-time statistics with diagrams. It can monitor the structure of solar panels to detect problems like displacement. And it can also suggest a proper point time to clean the solar panel depending on how much dust has accumulated.

The connection ability of cellular modules helps managers grasp the critical data of equipment in real-time, which not only breaks the geographical limitation but also makes it possible for the solar power plant to be built anywhere in the world. It can obtain more detailed and precise monitoring data to improve the utilization rate and the production capacity of solar power equipment.

Solar power generation is easily affected by environmental factors. The environment monitoring sensors can comprehensively collect meteorological parameters affecting light energy conversions, such as sunshine intensity, humidity, temperature, wind speed and direction, and radiation, which enables a comprehensive evaluation of the site for solar power generation.

The wireless cellular module supports live surveillance of solar power plants. Combining with the machine vision algorithm, it captures and analyzes real-time conditions of solar power plants and intelligently identifies light, fire, smoke, fog, and other dangerous factors, ensuring the safety of facilities and equipment with timely warnings and reminders.

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Measure the power generation and consumption

Since solar power generation is easily affected by environmental factors and the generation process is unstable, it highlights the necessity of power metering. The smart meters embedded with wireless cellular modules can record the capacity of installed equipment, power output, and the total power generated and transmitted. These data are delivered to the cloud platform through the wireless network, which helps managers optimize operation strategy by calculating the ROI and predicting future output and income.

Device management and maintenance

Distributed solar power plants require frequent inspections and on-site maintenance, which are costly, time-consuming, and work-intensive. Through the real-time data collection via the wireless network, a notification will be automatically sent when abnormal data is detected, which largely shortens the response time span. With the connectivity capability of the cellular wireless module, technicians can remotely troubleshoot faults, maintain and debug equipment to avoid downtime. Based on the dynamic monitoring , the system supports failure traceability, which can greatly improve maintenance efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.

Solar power generation monitoring devices need to withstand the harsh outdoor environment and unstable signals in remote areas. SIMCom's LTE Cat.1 wireless module has passed draconian environmental tests and can achieve reliable connections in environments with high/low temperatures, high humidity, and intense electromagnetic interference. The mature RF technology and cellular network connectivity solutions of SIMCom modules can ensure a stable network connection. They are widely adopted by devices in mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and many other industries. SIMCom has rolled out diversified LTE Cat.1 products, continuously promotes the widespread and efficient application of solar energy, and continues to contribute to carbon neutrality.