IoT-based Energy Monitoring and Controlling of an Optimum Inclination Angle of the Solar Panels

Abstract

Copious and accessible sun radiation creates an attractive system for converting solar energy into electrical energy. The solar power plants are installed in remote locations and hence needs monitoring and controlling system from remotely. A computerized remote solar plant monitoring system with an enormous range of solar Photovoltaic (PV) exploitation needs well-developed systems with Web-based interfaces. This research work focuses an inter-disciplinary field of renewable solar power plants located in the southern region of India, integrating with recent digital technology of Internet of Things (IoT) which supports to monitor real-time data of solar irradiation (G), temperature (T), clearness index (K_t), panel voltage (V_pv), current (I_pv), peak power (P_mp), and tilt angle of solar panel (β°) and also to control the optimum inclination angle (β°_opt) of the solar panel for maximizing of PV power using Genetic Algorithm (GA). An integrated solar power plant with IoT is developed with hardware setup and virtually tested for enhancing the tracking behavior of the proposed system. The IoT-based control of solar power plant significantly improves the performance of monitoring and maintenance of the power plant parameters with cost-effectiveness.

KEYWORDS:

• Architecture
• Clearness index
• Cryptography
• Genetic algorithm
• Inclination angle
• Internet of things
• Photovoltaic
• Remote monitoring
• Solar energy
• Solar panel

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors are indebted to the Additional Director General of Meteorology, National Data Centre, Office of ADGM (Research), India Meteorology Department, Shivaji Nagar, Pune, India for their support by providing the necessary meteorological data of Chennai, Bangalore, and Thiruvananthpuram for the successful completion of this research work. Also the authors thank the Correspondent, Principal of Mepco Schlenk Engineering College (Autonomous), Sivakasi, Tamilnadu, for providing them the state-of-the-art facilities and funding to carry out this work successfully in the Mepco Research Centre in collaboration with Anna University Chennai, Tamil Nadu. India. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pon Vengatesh Ramamurthi

R Pon Vengatesh is working as a senior assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of Mepco Schlenk Engineering College (Autonomous), Sivakasi, India. He is recognized as an approved research supervisor for guiding PhD by Anna University, Chennai. He has published 7 research papers in the reputed international journals. His main research interests include renewable power generation technology, power electronics and power system. He is a Life Member in Indian Society for Technical Education, Member in The Institution of Engineers (India), IAENG International Association of Engineers Hong Kong. Email: [email protected]

Edward Rajan Samuel Nadar

S Edward Rajan is working as a senior professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of Mepco Schlenk Engineering College (Autonomous), Sivakasi, India. He is recognized as an approved research supervisor for guiding PhD by Anna University, Chennai. Presently, under his supervision, six scholars are pursuing their PhD and seven scholars have been awarded their PhD under Anna University, Chennai. He has published 41 research papers in the reputed international journals. His main research interests include modelling and simulation of instrumentation systems, medical image processing, and bio-medical instrumentation. He is a Life Member in Indian Society for Technical Education, Member in The Institution of Engineers (India), IAENG International Association of Engineers Hong Kong, and also a Fellow Member of The Institute of Research Engineers and Doctors (IRED), New York, USA.