Paper Info
Title
Configurable IoT Open-Source Hardware and Software I-V Curve Tracer for Photovoltaic Generators
Abstract
Photovoltaic (PV) energy is a renewable energy resource which is being widely integrated in intelligent power grids, smart grids, and microgrids. To characterize and monitor the behavior of PV modules, current-voltage (I-V) curves are essential. In this regard, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies provide versatile and powerful tools, constituting a modern trend in the design of sensing and data acquisition systems for I-V curve tracing. This paper presents a novel I-V curve tracer based on IoT open-source hardware and software. Namely, a Raspberry Pi microcomputer composes the hardware level, whilst the applied software comprises mariaDB, Python, and Grafana. All the tasks required for curve tracing are automated: load sweep, data acquisition, data storage, communications, and real-time visualization. Modern and legacy communication protocols are handled for seamless data exchange with a programmable logic controller and a programmable load. The development of the system is expounded, and experimental results are reported to prove the suitability and validity of the proposal. In particular, I-V curve tracing of a monocrystalline PV generator under real operating conditions is successfully conducted.
Year
DOI
Venue
2021
10.3390/s21227650
SENSORS
Keywords
DocType
Volume
IoT, renewable energy sources, photovoltaic energy, I-V curve, monitoring and data acquisition, microgrid, open-source, communication protocols
Journal
21
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
22
1424-8220
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Isaías González161.55
José María Portalo200.34
Antonio José Calderón361.89