Comparative analysis of solar photovoltaic monitoring systems

Abstract

This paper is focused on comparative analysis of photovoltaic (PV) monitoring system for observing the performance and stability of the system. The cost and complexity of existing PV monitoring systems restricted their use to large scale PV plants. Over the past decade, different aspects of the PV monitoring systems were reported in the wide range of literature. In this paper, a comparative analysis of various PV monitoring systems is presented for the first time. It is based on analyzing six main characteristics of PV monitoring system, such as data transfer mechanism, controller, monitoring parameters, sampling interval, program development software and monitoring methods. The comparison of methodologies and the description of implementation process are discussed in this context. The key findings of this study will contribute to the development of a new PV monitoring system. The acquaintance of all these aspects is crucial for the development of effective, low cost, and viable PV monitoring systems for ...