Sergio Asenjo, Head of Solar Center of Competence, June 10th 2010
Advanced solutions for solar plants
© ABB PP&PS FES Italia
April 9, 2015 | Slide 1
Photovoltaic plant automation
Architecture
The system will manage, among traditional automation
functions/features:
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 2

Solar tracking system, when available, for production
maximization

Performance calculation of the different stages

ABB patented Switching System for optimizing inverter
efficiency

Troubleshooting management of strings

Integration of plant security and surveillance system

Production automatic reporting system
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 3

High precision shadowing control algorithm for solar tracking

Extensible and scalable solution for any plant size

Switching system for optimizing inverter efficiency

Performance/efficiency oriented supervision system
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
High precision shadowing control algorithm for solar tracking
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 4

Shadowing prevention according to tracker
dimensions and plant layout

Other systems use “backtracking correction”, thus
preventing unnecessary movements and efficiency
losses
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights

High precision shadowing control algorithm for solar
tracking

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 5
ABB algorithm calculates the optimal position modeling
panels and tracker structure geometry
Photovoltaic plant automation
Architecture
LAN 2
Local
Automation
LAN 1
Solar Tracker
OPERATOR
WORKPLACE
DCS
Inverters
MV an LV
Swicthgears
Internet
eMail
Remote Access
Transformers
Remote Office
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 6
Photovoltaic plant automation
Function allocation


At the DCS level is controlled

Solar plant power electronics device controls

Optimization - switching

Neural networks - intelligent forecast and approximation

Alarms and events handling
At local automation is performed


© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 7
Trackers

Accurate solar tracking algorithm

One and two axis movement control implementation
Power connection box

Power connection box management

Current per line current control to detect strings failures
Photovoltaic plant automation
Local automation architecture
Supervision & control systems
8PLC3
9PLC3
9PLC5
9PLC1
8PLC2
7PLC4
7PLC3
6PLC5
6PLC2
4PLC4
6PLC4
6PLC1
4PLC3
6PLC3
5PLC4
7PLC1
5PLC3
5PLC2
4PLC2
3PLC3
2PLC5
4PLC1
3PLC2
2PLC4
3PLC4
3PLC1
2PLC3
1PLC4
2PLC2
1PLC3
Cable
Cat5+
9PLC4
9PLC2
9PLC4
8PLC1
7PLC2
5PLC1
2PLC1
1PLC2
1PLC1
Cable
interior
armari
o
RS20-0400
Fibra óptica
Multimodo
Master 2
RS20-0800
RS20-0800
ADSL
SAI
ON-LINE
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 8
Master 1
Spider 5Tx
Photovoltaic plant automation
Operator mimics
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 9
Photovoltaic plant automation
Operator mimics
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 10
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
Switching System for optimizing inverter efficiency
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 11

Input power distribution for optimizing inverter efficiency

Switching principles:

Inverter low performance at low loads

Inverter high performance at medium-high loads

One inverter working at medium load, better than two
inverters working at low load

Load balancing among inverters
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
Switching System for optimizing inverter efficiency

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 12
Low performance

High performance
Photovoltaic plant automation
Advanced optimization

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 13
DCS advanced control functions

Operation of the switch over cabinet

Optimization based theoretical calculations

Neural networks analysis
Photovoltaic plant automation
Advanced optimization
Over the Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm (MPPT)
to increase performance in operational points like low sun
conditions it has been developed a set of algorithms based
on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and designed to adapt
themselves to the particular conditions of every PV plant
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 14
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
Switching system for optimizing inverter efficiency
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 15

Neuronal Network is an adaptive approximation method to
achieve a more accurate calculation of output power in
case of switching

Working Principle:

Two inverters: PI1=I1*V1 ; PI2=I2*V2

Switching all strings to Inverter 1

One inverter; PI=PI1+PI2 (Ideal)

One inverter; PI’=PI1’+PI2’ (real)
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
Switching System for
optimizing inverter efficiency
PI nv 1
PI nv 1
PI nv 2
PI nv 3
PI nv 3

PI nv1
PI nv 2
PInv 3
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 16

PI nv1
PI nv 3
The difference is in the PV
turbine equivalent I-V curve
(affected by panel
degradation, dirtiness, etc..)
Neuronal network learns from
real values to get
progressively a better PI’
Solar standard solution
Technology highlights
Performance/efficiency oriented supervision system

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 17
Real time plant performance ratio calculation based on:

Irradiation

Panels strings

Inverters

Transformers
New advanced features
Oriented to performance

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 18
Efficiency calculation:

For individual elements (strings, trackers, inverters…)

For stages

For the whole plant

To allocate malfunctions in the shortest time

Alarms for deviation in real time (alarms)

Reports
Stages for performance
Calculations
Tracking
Perfect
Optimal
distribution
Modules
Characteristics
DC cable Design
charactericits
Transformers
characteristics
Inverter characteristics
Swicthing scheme
Trafo
Strings
Inverters output
Inverters
Irradiation
Real Position
Temperature
V
V
A
String
Modules
Efficiency
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 19
Tracker
Tracking Efficiency
A
DC field
Cabling
efficiency
Inverters
Inverters and
Swicthing
Efficiency
Counter
V
V
A
A
Transformer
Trasnformers
efficiency
Real performance
Devices for measuring

Measurements devices:

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 20
Weather station

Pyranometers

Reference cells

Inclinometers

Strings measurements

Inverters measurement

Input DC

Output ac

Transformers

Electrical metering
Theoretical performance
Calculation methods


Equipment characteristics

Modules behavior

Tracking models
Perfect

Optimal

Cabling design

Switching, inverter curves

Transformers performance curves
Control system strategy and features

© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 21

PLCs, SCADA, Databases
Energy balance reports
18/12/2009
Modules
Plant
Líne
String
Radiation
Output
Measured
Output
Calculated
P1
P1-L1
P1-L1-S1
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6%
P1-L1-S2
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P1-L1-S3
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P1-L1
24 KWh
3,6 KWh
3,66 Kwh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P1-L2-S1
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P1-L2-S2
8 KWh
0,9 KWh
1,22 KWh
11,25%
14,5%
77,58%
P1-L2-S3
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6%
P1-L2
24 KWh
3,3 KWh
3,66 Kwh
12,5%
14,5%
90,26%
P1
--
48 KWh
6,9 KWh
7,32 Kwh
13,78%
14,5%
93,52%
P2-L1
P2-L1-S1
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P2-L1-S2
8 KWh
1,2 KWh
1,22 KWh
14%
14,5%
96,6 %
P2-L1-S3
8 KWh
1,1 KWh
1,22 KWh
13%
14,5%
90,11 %
P2-L1
24 KWh
3,5 KWh
3,66 Kwh
13,64%
14,5%
94,35%
P2
--
24 KWh
3,5 KWh
3,66 Kwh
13,64%
14,5%
94,35%
--
--
72 KWh
10,4 KWh
10,98 Kwh
13,71%
14,5%
93,80%
P1-L2
P2
Summary
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 22
Eff. Measured Eff. Calculated
Ratio
ABB system optimization
Automatic Switching system during hail and high wind
 Production increase.
Wind position.
 Production in normal conditions
 Production during high wind
Disminución de irradiancia debido a la posición horizontal
Irradiancia (W/m2)
1200,00
1000,00
800,00
600,00
Nubosidad
400,00
200,00
0,00
7:59
10:23
12:47
15:11
Hora
Irradiancia día 14 de septiem bre que llega a los seguidores
1200
1000
Irradiancia
800
600
Sin granizo
Con granizo
400
200
0
4:48
7:12
9:36
12:00
14:24
16:48
-200
Hora
Hail Position
 Production in normal conditions
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 23
 Production during hail situation.
19:12
ABB system optimization
Automatic Switching system in dawn, nightfall and clouds
Red color area  production increase
Cloudiness
Dawn - nightfallr
Dawn
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 24
Solar standard solution
Technology improvements

PV Plant 1

PV Plant 3

PV Plant 2
100 Kwh
90 Kwh
80 Kwh
70 Kwh
60 Kwh
50 Kwh











40 Kwh
30 Kwh
20 Kwh
10 Kwh
0 Kwh
Performance/efficiency increased by 0,8% to 2,5%
Production increased during the whole day, starting
earlier and shutting off later.
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 25
Photovoltaical power plant (PV)
Reference plant
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 26
© ABB Solar COC Spain
April 9, 2015 | Slide 27