PV systems consist of different components to transfer energy. Measuring the electrical parameters at certain intervals can help gather more information about system operating status and alert users to possible problems. As we discussed earlier, measuring the output of the system is essential for production-based financial incentives offered by federal and local agencies.
The traditional monitoring method entails simply comparing actual energy generation to that predicted from the simulation software. The advantage of this approach is simplicity, affordability, and reliability. There are multiple levels at which a PV system can be monitored. Depending on system size and type, they can be classified as:
Inverter-level AC and DC monitoring offers insights into an inverter’s status, given the strategic location of the inverter to monitor the performance of the PV system. Nowadays, most inverter manufacturers embed their devices with monitoring functionality.
Going a level deeper into the system, array monitoring involves information from DC circuits located in various sections of a PV array.
A little closer to the modules, string level monitoring narrows the focus even further to individual strings of modules.
Once we reach the module, Micro Inverter Level Monitoring is installed at the PV module level. They are more common in smaller systems than large commercial or utility scale.
An example of monitoring is shown in the video (22:47) produced by the Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Education and Resource Center, part of The Pennsylvania State University.
Is micro inverter monitoring level suitable for utility scale PV systems?
ANSWER: No, due to the large number of modules. String and Inverter level are more feasible.
Links
[1] http://www.solarcenter.psu.edu