Design and implementation of a reliable monitoring system for PV pumps installations

Objective

It is obvious that PV pumps will become one of the major applications of photovoltaic energy. As transparency with respect to medium and long-term performance is still lacking a well prepared monitoring programme for selected sites of newly installed PV pumps will be designed and implemented.
Photovoltaic (PV) pumps will become one of the major applications of photovoltaic energy. As transparency with respect to medium and long term performance is still lacking, a well prepared monitoring programme for selected sites of newly installed PV pumps is being designed and implemented.

So far 2 monitoring systems for PV pumping installations have been defined. The selected data acquisition system (DAS) types are very economical for small system applications. Analysis software and data presentation format have been completed.
Although a lot of PV pumps have been installed during the first generation of solar electrical driven pumps no consequent evaluation of PV pumps performances has been conducted. There is no usable widespread information related to the technical performance of PV pumps for the development of the new generation of such PV systems.

Consequently, the aim of the proposed R&D work is the design and application of a low-cost, reliable monitoring system for PV pumps installations.

In various regions monitoring systems will be set up in order to assess the performance of PV pumps installed by manufacturers from the European Community. The data transmission envisaged will be on ROM cards and/or floppy disks. Data analyses will be performed in Ireland and the Fed. Rep. of Germany. Improved monitoring techniques developed by the DG XII concerted action activities will be incorporated in this project.

Benefits are expected in favour of the development of European PV systems. After having received and analyzed the long-term performance data of the installed equipment, European PV manufacturers will be in a better position to tailor their systems in accordance with specific needs. This will constitute an asset for further European PV technology development and prevent failures in trial and error operations.

Programme(s)

• FP2-JOULE 1 - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of energy - non-nuclear energies and rational use of energy - (JOULE), 1989-1992

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

WIRTSCHAFT UND INFRASTRUKTUR GMBH & CO PLANUNGS KG

Address

Sylvensteinstrasse 2
Muenchen
Germany