2019 International Conference on Machine Learning, Big Data, Cloud and Parallel Computing (Com-IT-Con), India, 14th -16th

Feb 2019

IoT Enabled Real-Time Energy Monitoring for

Photovoltaic Systems
Mohd Sajid Khan Himanshu Sharma Ahteshamul Haque,
Electrical Engineering Department, Student Member IEEE, Senior Member IEEE,
Jamia Millia Islamia University, ECE Department, Electrical Engineering Department,
New Delhi, India KIET Group of Institutions, Jamia Millia Islamia University,
mdsajidkhan14@gmail.com Ghaziabad, U.P., India New Delhi, India
himanshu.sharma@kiet.edu ahaque@jmi.ac.in

Abstract — The increasing demand for solar energy, high remotely for complicated systems using web link as mostly
energy prices, and operational costs are all of which lead plant is installed in remote locations and thus monitoring
to several compelling reasons for the need for energy accessibility becomes an issue. By applying IoT a new cost-
monitoring. In this paper, an Internet of Things based remote effective technique to monitor remotely a solar power plant
real-time energy monitoring system is developed to monitor the for operation evaluation. It provides preventive maintenance,
solar power generation. Various current and voltage sensors are flaw identification, historical data examine of the plant surplus
integrated with a multipurpose microcontroller for aggregating real-time monitoring [3].Internet of Things (IoT) capable to
the data. An IoT analytics platform is adapted to visualize the integrate precisely and smoothly a vast number of distinct
aggregated data and evaluate the energy generated for a given
systems, “while providing open access to selected” subsets of
distributed generation system. This helps in continuous remote
monitoring and results in improved efficiency of the power data for the expansion of a superfluity “of digital services” [4]
plants. The remote monitoring also helps in identifying various IoT has presented an assuring “opportunity to” develop
anomalies that may affect the operation of solar panels. The dynamic industrial systems and applications by influencing
results depict the efficiency and error associated with the the increase omnipresence of” RFID, wireless and sensor
developed monitoring system, which proved to be better when devices”. As a sophisticated cyber-physical system, IoT
compared with conventional energy monitoring systems. incorporates numerous instruments equipped with sensing,
recognition, preparing, communication, and networking
Keywords— Internet of Things (IoT), Monitoring, Voltage
facilities [5]. Intelligent loT sensors have installed with every
Sensor, Current Sensor, Arduino Uno, PV Module
Electrical and Electronic device which transfer the data into
I. INTRODUCTION the cloud. The complete network is monitored by a computer
expert system which instantaneously informs the operation
Solar plant generating power requires adept monitoring and and maintenance management for respond [6].
operation in shifting towards technologies for net-zero energy
architecture. A reliable control system having the Internet of II. OPERATION AND BLOCK DIAGRAM
Things (IoT) to control and handle the flow of solar power
gathered by solar modules within a microgrid. Data for
excellent control involve not only data from local sensors but
also weather information gathers in real-time from online
sources. This helps recover productive power generated from
power plants while monitoring of defective solar panels,
connectivity, and dust on panels cause of lowering efficiency
and other matter affecting solar plant performance. An
automated IoT based solar plant monitoring arrangement that
grants for power monitoring from anyplace over the internet
[1]. Internet of Things (IoT) grant objects to control and sense
remotely across a base network, creating a chance for more
direct consolidation of the physical world into program-based
system and consequent in boost efficiency, accuracy and
economy interest surplus reduced human intervention [2].
Indulging the Internet of Things (IoT) Techniques for
oversight power developing by the solar photovoltaic system
can incredibly boost the characteristic operation, sustenance
and monitoring of the plant. So, the technology for automation
Fig.1. Block Diagram of Solar PV Panel Monitoring Using IoT
and smartness of solar plant monitoring will be a future
accountable way for the extensive solar power plant and The schematic representation as shown in figure 1 is
power grid up-gradation of the PV system. As improvement of developed to perform the constant power monitoring of the
techniques diminishing the expenditure of renewable energy photovoltaic module. An 80 watts solar panel is considered
equipment’s which promoting it on large-scale solar and operated at standard test condition of 1000W/m2 solar
photovoltaic adaptation. The huge adaptation of solar power irradiance 25oC ambient temperature and 1.5 air mass. The
plant installation requires automation of the plant monitoring voltage sensor and current sensor used to get photovoltaic

978-1-7281-0211-5/19/$31.00 2019 ©IEEE 323

module output and convert from analog to digital signal. The ሺƒƒŽ‘‰‡ƒ† ሺͳሻൈሺͳ൅ʹሻൈͷሻ
ܸ‫ ݁݃ܽݐ݈݋‬ൌ ʹൈͳͲʹͶ
(1)
monitoring unit comprises of Arduino Uno for accumulating
data. The accumulated data is transferred to the cloud using Where,
Wi-Fi ESP8266 module with the help of network
communication between with module and device connected Analog Read (A1) is the voltage measured by the potential
with any network can constantly monitor the output of solar divider network of Arduino port A1, R1=30kΩ, R2=7.5kΩ.
modules. The components used in this experiment are
Arduino Board, Voltage Sensor (0-25 volts), Current Sensor B. Current Sensor: A current sensor having 3 pins in which
(ACS712) (0-20A), Wifi Module (ESP8266). Figure 2 (a) Vcc connected with Arduino 5V, out pin of sensor connected
shows the pin diagram of the different modules used in this with Arduino ‘A0’ pin and GND connected with Arduino
experiment i.e. voltage sensor, a current sensor, Wi-Fi GND pin. The current sensor senses the value as:
module, and Arduino. ሺ‘Ž–ƒ‰‡ െ ‘ˆˆ•‡– ˜ƒŽ—‡ ሻ
‫ ݐ݊݁ݎݎݑܥ‬ൌ ‡•‹–‹˜‹–›
(2)

Where,
Analog Current Sensor (ACS) offset value is 2.5 as
given in data sheets, ADC Sensitivity (0.1 mV/A). The current
sensor input is taken as (0.0049ൈanalogRead (A0)). Where
the conversion factor 0.0049 is calculated as:
݈ܽ݊ܽ‫݀݁ݎݑݏܽ݁݉݁݃ܽݐ݈݋ݒ݃݋‬
‫ ݎ݋ݐܿܽܨ݊݋݅ݏݎ݁ݒ݊݋ܥ‬ൌ ൌ
‫݃݊݅݀ܽ݁ݎܥܦܣ‬
ͷ
ͳͲʹͶ
ൌ ͲǤͲͲͶͻ (3)

Finally, the power is calculated as:

ܲ‫ ݎ݁ݓ݋‬ൌ ܸ‫ ݁݃ܽݐ݈݋‬ൈ ‫ݐ݊݁ݎݎݑܥ‬ (4)
Where the voltage and currents are obtained from equation 1
and 2 respectively.

(a) Connection Diagram

C. Wi-Fi Module: Wi-Fi ESP8266 having 8 pins in which pin
(1,3) connected with Arduino 3.3V, Pin (4,8) of the module
connected with Arduino pin 2 &3 respectively and pin 5 of the
module connected with Arduino pin GND. Figure 2 (b)
showing the pin connection diagram of a component in the
experimental setup.

Start

Measure PV
panel V,I, P,
using sensors
and Arduino

Agilent PV
Observe the voltage, current, Simulator directly
power using Voltage sensors, Displays
Current sensor in Arduino V,I,P values
Software Display

Arduino sends data to Wi-Fi

modules.
(b) Physical Layout
Compare the result
observed on
Real time data is upload to
Fig. 2 Connection Diagram and Physical layout of Voltage Sensor, Current the IoT cloud using Wi-FI
Thingspeaks and PV
simulator
module and internet
Sensor and Wi-Fi Module with Arduino Uno
User can see the data globally
A. Voltage Sensor: The voltage sensor having three pins in using Thingspeaks on PC or
Mobile
Match both results

which pin ‘S’ connected with Arduino pin A1, the negative
pin of the sensor connected with GND of Arduino and the End
positive pin has no connection. The output voltage of the
voltage sensor is given as:
Fig.3 Flowchart of Operation

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The flow chart of the overall operation is shown in fig.3.
Here, first of all, the V, I, P data is measured using sensors
and Arduino board. Then this data is sent to the IoT cloud
using Wi-Fi module. The Agilent PV simulator display panel
shows the values at a local place. The IoT cloud sends data to
a remote place globally. Both data are compared and it is
found that both the results are almost the same. The
simulation parameters of a PV system for experimental
analysis are given in table1.
Table I: Simulation Parameters
Parameter Value
Irradiance (G) ͸ͲͲ‫ݓ‬Ȁ݉ʹ
Temperature(T) ʹͷͲ ‫ܥ‬
Air Mass (m) ͳǤͷ
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) ʹͲǤͲͶܸ
Maximum Power Point Voltage (Vmpp) 13.6 v
Short Circuit Current 3.67 A Fig. 4(c) Voltage 22.0649 volts, the current value 0.08821 A, MPP 19.6
watts
Maximum Power Point Current 3.3 A

III. SIMULATION RESULTS

The simulation results observed on Key sight E4360 PV array
simulator is shown in Fig 4.

Fig. 4(e) Voltage 20.9409 Volts, the Current Value 2.0247 A, MPP 42.4
Watts

Fig. 4(a) Voltage 22.7947 Volts, the Current Value 0.1509 A, MPP 3.44
Watts

Fig. 4(b) Voltage 22.4069 volts, the current value 0.5421 A, MPP 12.15
watts
Fig. 4(f) Voltage 18.6221 Volts, the Current Value 3.8454 A, MPP 71.61
Watts

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Fig 4. Voltage, Current and Power with Maximum Power Point (MPP) on PV
Simulator Display

Here, we have shown six figures 4(a), 4(b), 4(c), 4(d), 4(e),
4(f) of Keysight E4360 PV array simulator. These figures
show the Maximum Power Point (MPP) with corresponding
Voltage, Current and Power. Here, in fig. 4(a) the voltage is
22.7947 volts, the current value is 0.1509 A, and
corresponding MPP point is 3.44 watts. Similarly, figure (b),
(c), (d), (e) and (f) shows the voltage, current and power levels
shown in tables for different load variations with load
resistance range 0 to 290 ohms.
B. Things speak online monitored IoT Results
Thing Speak is an open source Internet of Things application Fig. 5(b) Solar Panel Current Monitored using Thing Speak IoT
and API to store and retrieve data from things using the HTTP Fig. 5(b) shows the online monitored voltage on the things
protocol over the Internet. speak IoT cloud of the PV panel for different load for time
15:06 pm to 15:12 pm. Here, if the load increases then the
corresponding voltage decrease.

Fig. 5(a) Solar Panel Voltage Monitored using Thing Speak IoT Fig. 5 (c) Solar Panel Power Monitored using Thing Speak IoT

Fig. 5 (a) shows the online monitored current on the things
speak IoT cloud of the PV panel for different loads for time
15:06 pm to 15:12 pm. Here, if the load increases then the
corresponding current also increases.
Fig. 5(c) shows the online monitored power on the things
speak IoT cloud of the PV panel for different loads for time
15:06 pm to 15:12 pm. Here, if the load increases then the
corresponding power increases and reaches to the maximum
point.

Fig. 6 Experimental Setup for PV Simulator, Arduino, Voltage Sensor, Current Sensor and Arduino connections.

Figure 6 shows actual hardware experiment setup for 3, 4 shows the IoT online monitored and Actual PV simulator
Arduino board, Voltage & Current sensors, Keysight E4360 data of current, voltage and power values. From the tables,
PV array simulator connected to Personal Computer. Table 2, we observe that the online monitored data and actual PV

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simulator data are almost the same with very small errors the consumption by the customer, when the maximum power
which can be compensated. consumption is reached the control unit generates a signal
and the necessary action can be taken. Furthermore, this can
Table II. Online and Actual offline Current be improved by using time-based control for disconnecting
S. No. IoT online monitored Actual PV Simulator Error the load.
Current Current (%)
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