Design and validation of IoT measurement system for photovoltaic generation

Abstract

The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems for electricity generation is constantly growing in Brazil. With the reduction in the price of PV modules and the implementation of the electric power compensation system by the power distributor, the consumer is investing in PV microgeneration to reduce the electricity bill. This article aims to develop an embedded system in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT). Having an IoT monitoring system applied to a grid-connected PV system in an educational institution helps teach concepts such as IoT and PV generation. The system is based on the ESP32 development board for acquiring DC voltage and current generated by a 1.35 kWp PV system connected to the grid and installed at the IFCE. This proposal offers a low-cost educational solution using open source and programmable hardware, which sends the data to a database in the cloud, enabling remote access worldwide. Then, using the data analysis methodology, it was possible to validate the values measured with the inverter installed with an error below 1% for the voltage and current acquired during one day. With this result, it is concluded that the designed IoT system can be used for measurement in PV systems.