Raspberry Pi zero wireless monitoring system for analyzing solar photovoltaic panel

Abstract

This paper aims to explain about the implementation of a low-cost wireless monitoring and communication system for an individual solar photovoltaic panel. The proposed system continuously records voltage, current and temperature information for an individual solar photovoltaic panel. This information is used to observe the performance and operation of an individual solar photovoltaic panel. Hence, each solar photovoltaic panel is installed with a voltage-current sensor and four thermocouple sensors as a system, which is integrated with low-powered Raspberry Pi Zero Wireless. The Raspberry Pi Zero Wireless acts as voltage, current and temperature information recording system before this information is uploaded into the cloud database system. Then, from the cloud database system the voltage, current and temperature information of an individual solar photovoltaic panel is sent to phpMyAdmin database system for recording. At the phpMyAdmin, the database system allows consumers/users to monitor the performance and operational of installed solar photovoltaic panels through webpage. Hence, this paper briefly presents the operational results of the developed system.