Automatic monitoring of solar photovoltaic (SPV) module

Abstract

Accumulation of dust and dirt on surface of solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules along with rise in module temperature reduces efficiency of SPV system. Regular monitoring and scheduled maintenance are very essential for better performance of such systems. However, manual monitoring suffers from several drawbacks including essential requirement of dedicated manpower. Besides, manual cleaning or cooling is often inconvenient depending on type, size or accessibility of the installation. In this work, a microcontroller based monitoring system is proposed to monitor critical module parameters, viz., temperature, voltage and current. The measured parameters will be analyzed by the microcontroller and compared with standard values under local operating conditions. In case of any mismatch, microcontroller will suggest or actuate appropriate control action for better performance of the SPV system. This work investigates the effectiveness of such monitoring system in mitigating adverse effect of dust and module temperature on the performance of SPV system.