An Alternative Internet-of-Things Solution Based on LoRa for PV Power Plants: Data Monitoring and Management

José Miguel Paredes-Parra, Antonio Javier García-Sánchez, Antonio Mateo-Aroca and Ángel Molina-García
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José Miguel Paredes-Parra: Technological Center for Energy and Environment (CETENMA), 30353 Cartagena, Spain
Antonio Javier García-Sánchez: Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, Spain
Antonio Mateo-Aroca: Department of Electronic Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, Spain
Ángel Molina-García: Department of Electronic Technology, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, 30202 Cartagena, Spain

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: This paper proposes a wireless low-cost solution based on long-range (LoRa) technology able to communicate with remote PV power plants, covering long distances with minimum power consumption and maintenance. This solution includes a low-cost open-source technology at the sensor layer and a low-power wireless area network (LPWAN) at the communication layer, combining the advantages of long-range coverage and low power demand. Moreover, it offers an extensive monitoring system to exchange data in an Internet-of-Things (IoT) environment. A detailed description of the proposed system at the PV module level of integration is also included in the paper, as well as detailed information regarding LPWAN application to the PV power plant monitoring problem. In order to assess the suitability of the proposed solution, results collected in real PV installations connected to the grid are also included and discussed.

Keywords: PV monitoring; low-cost solutions; LoRa technology (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 (11)

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