Once a solar farm or solar roof is complete, the operational phase begins. This phase is very important. As the owner of a solar farm or solar roof, you of course want your asset to perform optimally, and so do we. That’s why we use a special system known as SCADA to monitor your solar energy system.
SCADA stands for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. The system combines software and hardware components that collect, analyse and visualise data from solar energy systems. This makes the system very versatile. Events are recorded and archived so that reports can be generated. You also receive real-time data, which you can analyse. This unique system can detect technical malfunctions in components such as inverters immediately and also resolve them.
Joran Kuperus is an asset manager at Klaer. His work includes monitoring various solar farms. He explains more about the SCADA monitoring system.
“We can use SCADA to look at various data types in detail. For example, we can analyse the solar farm as a whole or zoom in to the level of individual inverters. SCADA makes it possible to see what’s wrong with a solar farm at a glance. This means we can identify faults immediately and see where we are losing power. We examine these notifications in detail. If we see that a solar farm is generating less energy than it should, for example, we can examine the data in detail to find the cause. If an inverter isn’t working properly, the analysis will show this. We can identify and resolve these malfunctions remotely,” explains Joran.
“Our previous system worked reactively in response to events or changes in the value of an event. In contrast, the SCADA system works proactively to prevent losses. It also helps us understand why losses arise. This means we can now intervene much quicker and ensure that the asset works optimally.”
SCADA is a smart system: it uses AI, which stands for Artificial Intelligence. But how does this assist with monitoring solar farms?
“SCADA has stored data for many different solar energy systems, in fact every system monitored with SCADA. This existing data is linked to data from solar energy systems of the same scale that generate similar power levels, or in other words validated data. By using validated data, the system can accurately predict how the solar energy system should perform. If the system does not perform in the way predicted by the data, we can analyse the differences in great detail,” says Joran.
“At Klaer, we understand our clients’ needs. By harnessing our expertise and many years of experience, we ensure that your asset is – and stays – in top condition. We make sure your solar energy system receives the attention it deserves. But to achieve that goal, we need the right analysis system.”
“We chose SCADA because it stores historical data and can make predictions. By using historical data, we can accurately predict how much energy the system will generate, as well as when it will require maintenance,” explains Joran.
“As an asset manager, I’m convinced that the performance of solar energy systems can be greatly improved by resolving minor losses. This means we need a system that has that capability. SCADA is a self-regulating system. It generates tables and reports, showing what can be improved and what isn’t working as well as before in detail. The system also clearly indicates when an asset requires maintenance so we can make sure your system is performing optimally.”
“One feature that we use a lot at the moment is the ability to compare large-scale and long-term data. This allows us to compare data from systems and inverters and draw conclusions. This wasn’t possible with the old system. With SCADA, we can examine solar energy systems from A to Z and find out the cause of losses. Needless to say, this is really useful,” explains Joran.
If you would like to know more about the SCADA monitoring system or how Klaer can help you optimise and maintain your asset, contact us now or schedule an appointment.
Vertrouwen begint met elkaar leren kennen. Plan een afspraak of neem gelijk contact met ons op.
