Complex Network Analysis of Photovoltaic Plant Operations and Failure Modes

Fabrizio Bonacina, Alessandro Corsini, Lucio Cardillo and Francesca Lucchetta
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Fabrizio Bonacina: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
Alessandro Corsini: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy
Lucio Cardillo: SED Solutions, 03013 Ferentino, Italy
Francesca Lucchetta: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00184 Rome, Italy

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: This paper presents a novel data-driven approach, based on sensor network analysis in Photovoltaic (PV) power plants, to unveil hidden precursors in failure modes. The method is based on the analysis of signals from PV plant monitoring, and advocates the use of graph modeling techniques to reconstruct and investigate the connectivity among PV field sensors, as is customary for Complex Network Analysis (CNA) approaches. Five month operation data are used in the present study. The results showed that the proposed methodology is able to discover specific hidden dynamics, also referred to as emerging properties in a Complexity Science perspective, which are not visible in the observation of individual sensor signal but are closely linked to the relationships occurring at the system level. The application of exploratory data analysis techniques on those properties demonstrated, for the specific plant under scrutiny, potential for early fault detection.

Keywords: sensor network; data fusion; complex network analysis; fault prognosis; photovoltaic plants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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