Modern SCADA for CSP Systems Based on OPC UA, Wi-Fi Mesh Networks, and Open-Source Software

Jose Antonio Carballo (), Javier Bonilla (), Jesús Fernández-Reche, Antonio Luis Avila-Marin and Blas Díaz
Additional contact information
Jose Antonio Carballo: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas-Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA), Point Focus Solar Thermal Technologies, P.O. Box 22, E-04200 Tabernas, Spain
Javier Bonilla: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas-Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA), Point Focus Solar Thermal Technologies, P.O. Box 22, E-04200 Tabernas, Spain
Jesús Fernández-Reche: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas-Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA), Point Focus Solar Thermal Technologies, P.O. Box 22, E-04200 Tabernas, Spain
Antonio Luis Avila-Marin: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas-Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA), Point Focus Solar Thermal Technologies, P.O. Box 22, E-04200 Tabernas, Spain
Blas Díaz: Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas-Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA), Point Focus Solar Thermal Technologies, P.O. Box 22, E-04200 Tabernas, Spain

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: This study presents a methodology for the development of modern Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems aimed at improving the operation and management of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, leveraging the tools provided by industrial digitization. This approach is exemplified by its application to the CESA-I central tower heliostat field at the Plataforma Solar de Almería (PSA), one of the oldest CSP facilities in the world. The goal was to upgrade the control and monitoring capabilities of the heliostat field by integrating modern technologies such as OPC (Open Platform Communications)) Unified Architecture (UA), a Wi-Fi mesh communication network, and a custom Python-based gateway for interfacing with legacy MODBUS systems. Performance tests demonstrated stable, scalable communication, efficient real-time control, and seamless integration of new developments (smart heliostat) into the existing infrastructure. The SCADA system also introduced a user-friendly Python-based interface developed with PySide6, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and reducing task complexity for system operators. The results show that this low-cost methodology based on open-source software provides a flexible and robust SCADA architecture, suitable for future CSP applications, with potential for further optimization through the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Keywords: SCADA; heliostat; OPC UA; Wi-Fi mesh network (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: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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