iLab - iPVarray
Not everyone has access to grid connected PV arrays. Certainly very few people have access to several PV arrays for comparison of different technologies.
- Principal Investigator - Geoff Walker
- Start date - February 2003 — January 2004
- Goal - To create an instrumented PV array with a database and web interface.
- Overview of project - We have PV array of 12 x 60W solar panels on the roof of the Hawken Engineering building at the University of Queensland. This 720W array is connected to the grid with a Fronius grid connect inverter. Each individual solar panel is instrumented via a network of data logging / power electronic converter boards so that each solar panel’s voltage, current and temperature can be logged. The inverter can report overall voltage, current and power delivered. Finally, an intelligent power meter at the electricity switchboard provides a final cross-check. A 13th PV module is used as a stand alone supply to a 12V lead acid battery. This powers the single board computer used for data gathering and web serving, but also serves as a separate source of experimental data related to remote area power supply (RAPS) systems. Other links on the website will give weather and other environmental information. A webcam will also give a “snapshot” of the sky / shading of the modules. By requesting different datasets, students can evaluate the performance of the solar panels, the inverter, of the entire system. They can study the effect of temperature, shading, seasons, etc. If similar systems are setup at other institutions, a network of locations can be used to compare the performance of different technologies and geographic differences.
[ visit the project website ]
[ contact the project team ]