Irradiance mapping leveraging a distributed network of solar photovoltaic systems

• US 9,606,168 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locus Energy, LLC (Also Energy Incorporated), Michael Herzig
• Original Assignee: Locus Energy, LLC (Also Energy Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kerrigan, Shawn, Herzig, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Huan
• Application Number:
  US14/194,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2603 for curve tracing of semiconductor characteristics, e.g. on oscilloscope
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/004 Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/10 Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A computer processor implemented method of developing irradiance mapping using a distributed network of solar photovoltaic systems, the method comprising the steps of: selecting a predetermined geographic area having at least five solar photovoltaic systems to provide a photovoltaic system; calibrating the photovoltaic system; reversing the photovoltaic system performance model using a computer processor to solve the irradiance input value; calculating irradiance according to irradiance input value, energy output and weather data using the computer processor to provide a single irradiance point; and mapping at least two single irradiance points to create an irradiance map.

Claims

1. A method of creating irradiance mapping using a distributed network of solar systems, said method comprising the steps of;

providing at least two solar powered systems, at least one data server, at least one generation monitoring device in communication with at least two solar powered systems and at least one communication node in communication with at least one of said solar powered systems, said generation monitoring device and said data server,

determining system performance for each said at least two solar powered systems to provide system performance values;

saving said system performance values in said at least one data server;

calibrating a system performance model for a group of said at least two powered systems to provide a calibrated system performance model;

saving said calibrated system performance model in said at least one data server;

determining an irradiance input value from said system performance values and said calibrated system performance model;

gathering the power generated from each said at least one generation monitoring device communicated from said at least one communication node and saved in said data server;

determining the irradiance for a particular time according to at least one of said irradiance input value and said power generated to provide a single irradiance point;

mapping at least five said single irradiance points to create an irradiance map.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

Utilizing comparative information from nearby systems to provide at least one comparative information irradiance point; and

mapping said at least five said single irradiance points and said at least one comparative information irradiance point to create said irradiance map.

3. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

smoothing said at least five said single irradiance points.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of determining an irradiance input value is from said system performance values, said calibrated system performance model and a temperature.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

predicting irradiance based on extrapolation of current data and weather forecasts.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein a temperature is obtained from a third party internet weather feed source and saved in said at least one data server.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein a temperature is obtained by a temperature probe attached to said at least two solar power systems.

8. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

automatically determining system configuration information for said at least two solar powered systems;

utilizing said system configuration information to perform a step of reversing the photovoltaic system performance model using a computer processor to solve the irradiance input value.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein said step of automatically determining system configuration is further comprising the steps of:

constructing a data set of at least one standard performance curve for at least one system type to provide a data set with at least one system type and correlated standard performance curves and saving said data set with at least one system type and correlated standard performance curves in at least one data server;

defining at least one characteristic feature for each said at least one system type to provide at least one system type and correlated characteristic feature and saving said at least one system type and correlated characteristic feature in said at least one data server;

determining the required data to identify said at least one system type according to at least one of said standard performance curve and said characteristic feature;

remotely acquiring said required data for at least one solar powered system to provide acquired solar powered system data and saving said acquired solar powered system data in said at least one data server;

comparing system acquired solar powered system data to said at least one system type and correlated standard performance curves and said system type and correlated characteristic features to provide system configuration information for at least one solar powered system to provide the specific type of said at least one solar powered system.