The challenges of large-scale deployment of solar energy generation systems make the use of wireless sensor networks quite compelling.  For these systems, reducing installation costs while maximizing operational efficiency is paramount to success.  The equipment costs, installation labor, and complexity of the network communications infrastructure can quickly become the single largest factor in the deployment as these systems scale in size.  Whether photovoltaic (PV) or concentrating solar power (CSP), critical performance metrics must be monitored in real-time, and the health of equipment, such as inverters, tracker motors, or heliostat targeting systems, are critical to maintaining constant uptime of the plant.

Utility-scale Photovoltaic
Wireless monitoring systems continuously monitor critical equipment along the string of PV collectors, and can reliably determine the "health" of the equipment without the need for complex wired communications infrastructure in harsh environments, like the desert.  Monitoring at the string level with sensors in the combiner or a string inverter means that real-time data, such as detecting ground faults, solar panel dropouts, and current degradation, as well as other maintenance issues that otherwise might go undetected, are reported in real-time.  Whether distributed or centralized, the inverters are a critical part of all installations, and are often monitored today through the costly deployment of cabled communication infrastructure.  Eliminating this cost during initial plant construction can dramatically lower installation labor and complexity.

Concentrating Solar Power
Utility-scale thermal systems also require real-time monitoring of the troughs, or heliostats in the case of power tower based systems.  The lack of readily available power and communications infrastructure further complicate the installation.  The promise of wireless in these applications is to dramatically reduce infrastructure and cabling costs, while improving the ability to collect critical data in real-time. Each mechanical mirror assembly must be oriented at an ideal incident angle to the sun, and this requires tracking systems that dynamically move the assemblies as the earth rotates and seasons change.  More sophisticated designs employ targeting sensors that continually communicate with a central control system to ensure proper alignment with the thermal receiver.  Additionally, the complexity of the steam plant can rival that of even the largest traditional gas-fired turbine.  Monitoring and control examples include: targeting, orientation, motor health, and even temperature and wind speed.  The requirement for highly reliable two-way communications for monitoring and control is easily met with Dust Networks’ industry-proven wireless sensor networking solution.