A tutorial on designing and implementing an energy-independent photovoltaic monitoring system

A new era of solar energy consumption has been triggered by technological developments combined with the growing need for renewable energy sources. Solar-based photovoltaic (PV) systems have become a viable option for producing clean electricity. However, a number of variables including temperature, irradiance and shading conditions have a significant impact on the efficiency of solar panels. In order to maximize the energy output of solar panels, sophisticated control mechanisms are needed that continuously track the point of maximum power output under a variety of environmental circumstances. For this integrating next-generation computing platforms such as Raspberry Pi, offers a powerful opportunity to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of solar PV systems. Raspberry Pi is a perfect platform for creating complex monitoring and control systems for renewable energy applications, thanks to its small size, low cost and powerful computing power. This paper presents the step-by-step development of a real-time monitoring and control system for solar photovoltaic system using a Raspberry Pi. The work can be used as a tutorial by students in physics lab classes, who will be able to integrate knowledge of renewable energy, electricity, efficiency and information technology.