Open Access

In this paper, a new method is demonstrated for onlin e remote simulation of photovo ltaic systems. The required communication technology for the data exchange is introduced a nd the methods of PV generato r parameter extraction for the simulation models are analysed. The method shown for parameter extraction from the ma nufacturer data is especially useful for the commissioning procedure, where the measured installed pow er is transferred to standard test conditions using the simulation model and can then be easily compared with the de sign power. At a simulation accuracy of 2% using the software environment INSEL ® any problems with the PV gene rator can reliably be detected. Online simulation of a grid connected PV generator is then carried out during the operation of the photovoltaic plant. The visualisation includes both the monitored and the simulated online data sets, so that a very efficient fault detection scheme i s available. The method is implemented and validated on several grid connected photovolta ic power plants in Germany. It is excellently suited to provide automatic and real time fault detection and significantly impr ove the commissioning procedure for photovoltaic plants of all sizes.

An energy oriented design concept was developed within the research project PHOTOPUR which has the development of a PV powered water cleaning system as main focus. During a wine season Plant Protection Products (PPP) are several times sprayed on plants to protect them of undesired insects and herbs or avoid hazardous fungus types. A work package of the project partner INES in Offenburg led to a design introducing energy profiling already in the early beginning of a product design. The concept is based on three pillars respecting first the requirements of the core process making up filtering and cleaning and secondary aspects which run, support, maintain and monitor the system to secure availability and product reliability. The presented paper shows that the results of the design tools guided the developers to assemble a functional model of the water decontamination unit which was manually tested with its concatenated steps of the water cleaning process.