The research team from the University of Cordoba has developed an innovative monitoring system.This system, by deploying various sensors, can provide more detailed, accurate, and synchronized operational information about solar power plant performance, thereby effectively reducing the uncertainty in plant operations.
Recently, related research titled Implementation and Characterization of a High-Precision Monitoring System for Photovoltaic Power Plants Using Self-Made Phasor Measurement Units was published in IEEE Sensors Journal.
Image source / University of Cordoba
Solar power plants do not generate electricity continuously and stably; their energy output entirely depends on weather conditions and can only operate when environmental conditions permit. For example, a passing cloud can lead to a sharp decline in power generation. This new monitoring system not only observes and predicts plant performance but also dynamically adjusts electricity prices, making pricing more aligned with actual generation conditions.
The research aims to explore the relationship between solar power generation and meteorological conditions. The team innovatively modified existing market devices to develop Extended Phasor Measurement Units. This device can synchronize the collection of electrical data such as current, voltage, frequency, and environmental meteorological data like solar radiation.
The core advantage of this system is its ability to collect data at a high frequency of 10 times per second, with such high precision that it generates approximately 2-3GB of data per month. Since all devices maintain time synchronization and are distributed across different geographical locations (including adjacent solar power plants), this synchronized data can both restore historical operational states and support future generation predictions. The denser the monitoring, the faster protective measures can be initiated: by promptly disconnecting system connections, effectively preventing fault propagation.
These sensors have undergone meticulous calibration and validation through experiments at two power plants, and all data deviations have been verified. The research team is currently conducting the second phase of the project: in-depth analysis of the massive collected data.
References
Arenas-Ramos, V., et al. (2025) Implementation and Characterization of a High-Precision Monitoring System for Photovoltaic Power Plants Using Self-Made Phasor Measurement Units. IEEE Sensors Journal. DOI:10.1109/JSEN.2025.3598820. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11131518
Content sourced from “AzoSensors”, for academic reference only; click “Read the original text” at the end to view the English report.
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