METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PERFORMANCE RATIO-BASED SCHEDULING OF SOLAR MODULE MAINTENACE

• US 20160056760A1
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flex, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.
• Inventors: Boross, Andras, Voss, Stephen J., Singh, Amitabh, Ng, Cheau-Long, Golnas, Anastasios
• Granted Patent: US 10,079,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for performance ratio-based scheduling of solar system maintenance is implemented by a monitoring computing device. The monitoring computer device includes a processor in communication with a memory. The method includes receiving a plurality of production data associated with a solar system, determining at least one performance ratio based upon at least a portion of the plurality of production data wherein each performance ratio is associated with a range of expected performance values, validating the at least one performance ratio, determining that the at least one performance ratio is outside the range of expected performance values, and adjusting a maintenance schedule associated with the solar system based upon the at least one performance ratio.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performance ratio-based scheduling of solar module maintenance implemented by a monitoring computing device in communication with a memory, the method comprising:

receiving, at the monitoring computing device, a plurality of production data associated with a solar module;

determining at least one performance ratio based upon at least a portion of the plurality of production data, wherein each performance ratio is associated with a range of expected performance values;

validating the at least one performance ratio;

determining that the at least one performance ratio is outside the range of expected performance values; and

adjusting a maintenance schedule associated with the solar module based upon the at least one performance ratio.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the plurality of production data as historical production data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the at least one performance ratio is outside the range of expected performance values further comprises:

retrieving the historical production data;

determining at least one estimated performance ratio by extrapolating from the historical production data; and

comparing the at least one estimated performance ratio to the at least one performance ratio.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating a linear regression based on the historical production data; and

applying at least one present value to determine the at least one estimated performance ratio.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining the range of expected performance values by calculating an acceptable variance of the at least one performance ratio based upon the historical production data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the at least one performance ratio indicates a device failure;

identifying a device associated with the device failure; and

transmitting a signal associated with the device failure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the at least one performance ratio does not indicate a device failure;

determining a probable explanation associated with the at least one performance ratio; and

transmitting a maintenance request.

8. A monitoring computing device used to perform performance ratio-based scheduling of solar module maintenance, the monitoring computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said processor configured to;

receive a plurality of production data associated with a solar module;

determine at least one performance ratio based upon at least a portion of the plurality of production data, wherein each performance ratio is associated with a range of expected performance values;

validate the at least one performance ratio;

determine that the at least one performance ratio is outside the range of expected performance values; and

adjust a maintenance schedule associated with the solar module based upon the at least one performance ratio.

9. The monitoring computing device of claim 8, further configured to:

store the plurality of production data as historical production data.

10. The monitoring computing device of claim 9, further configured to:

retrieve the historical production data;

determine at least one estimated performance ratio by extrapolating from the historical production data; and

compare the at least one estimated performance ratio to the at least one performance ratio.

11. The monitoring computing device of claim 10, further configured to:

generate a linear regression based on the historical production data; and

apply at least one present value to determine the at least one estimated performance ratio.

12. The monitoring computing device of claim 9, further configured to:

determine the range of expected performance values by calculating an acceptable variance of the at least one performance ratio based upon the historical production data.

13. The monitoring computing device of claim 8, further configured to:

determine that the at least one performance ratio indicates a device failure;

identify a device associated with the device failure; and

transmit a signal associated with the device failure.

14. The monitoring computing device of claim 8, further configured to:

determine that the at least one performance ratio does not indicate a device failure;

determine a probable explanation associated with the at least one performance ratio; and

transmit a maintenance request.

15. Computer-readable storage media for performance ratio-based scheduling of solar module maintenance, the computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive a plurality of production data associated with a solar module;

determine at least one performance ratio based upon at least a portion of the plurality of production data, wherein each performance ratio is associated with a range of expected performance values;

validate the at least one performance ratio;

determine that the at least one performance ratio is outside the range of expected performance values; and

adjust a maintenance schedule associated with the solar module based upon the at least one performance ratio.

16. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

store the plurality of production data as historical production data.

17. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

retrieve the historical production data;

determine at least one estimated performance ratio by extrapolating from the historical production data; and

compare the at least one estimated performance ratio to the at least one performance ratio.

18. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

generate a linear regression based on the historical production data; and

apply at least one present value to determine the at least one estimated performance ratio.

19. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

determine the range of expected performance values by calculating an acceptable variance of the at least one performance ratio based upon the historical production data.

20. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

determine that the at least one performance ratio indicates a device failure;

identify a device associated with the device failure; and

transmit a signal associated with the device failure.

21. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

determine that the at least one performance ratio does not indicate a device failure;

determine a probable explanation associated with the at least one performance ratio; and

transmit a maintenance request.