Telemonitoring and controlling of photovoltaic system performance based on Arduino and LabVIEW

Like any industrial process, a photovoltaic (PV) system can be subject to various faults and anomalies during operation, which can lead to a decrease in system performance. Preventive maintenance and real-time monitoring of photovoltaic installations necessitate early diagnostics. Existing performance analysis methods for operational PV systems, such as the widely used international standard IEC 61724, provide a method for calculating key performance indicators like power output, energy yield, and system efficiency. However, these methods have several notable limitations due to their narrow focus on current and voltage data. To address this issue, a more comprehensive and accurate approach to performance analysis is needed. The measurement of the I-V curve of a PV module can serve multiple objectives, such as assessing performance under real-world conditions, facilitating maintenance, and optimizing PV systems. In this context, this paper proposes a novel, portable device capable of low-cost I-V curve measurement and real-time telemonitoring of photovoltaic generators without disrupting system operation. The proposed device incorporates sensors for telemeasuring meteorological data and I-V curves, enabling the evaluation of generator performance. The hardware component, designed using PROTEUS, consists of precision electronic circuits for data acquisition. This hardware interfaces with LabVIEW software via Wi-Fi for monitoring, control, and data extraction (Isc, Voc, Pm, etc.). Collected data is stored locally on an SD card or a connected PC.