Grid-connected photovoltaic system: Monitoring insights

For grid-connected photovoltaic system, performance monitoring plays an important role in ensuring efficient power delivery. Performance monitoring is needed to observe the system and provide counter measures should any failure occurs. This paper outlined the monitoring insights on grid-connected photovoltaic systems in terms of data communication methods used as well as the important characteristics in designing or choosing monitoring systems. A list of monitoring characteristics have been highlighted, i.e. data transfer mechanism; system controller; monitored parameters; sampling interval; monitoring method; and management software. Monitoring characteristics that have been listed provide the framework in developing or choosing the correct monitoring device for grid-connected photovoltaic system. Cost analysis for photovoltaic system was also being investigated in this study.