Solar Park management: automation and networking
Photovoltaic (PV) systems have become an important and established source of power, with a current installed capacity of approximately 230 gigawatts worldwide. In the Middle East alone, 11 gigawatts projects have been announced that are either in the bidding or the pre-qualification stage. The main driver for adopting solar and renewables in the region is the low prices of solar energy that led policy makers and industry leaders to take a number of steps towards increasing and accelerating the adoption of it.
Photovoltaic systems are being installed in industrial areas and public spaces more and more frequently because environmentally friendly power sources are perceived positively by the public. This trend is further fueled by the fact that PV applications are easy to use.
First of all, to enhance the efficiency and yield of your photovoltaic system, you need to use a continuous operating data acquisition and intelligent data management. Irrespective of which transmission medium you use, Phoenix Contact has the right network components for you to set up a failsafe communication solution. The basis for this includes the high-performance Gigabit switches, modems, and media converters.
Moreover, the profitable operation of large photovoltaic systems requires continuous monitoring and control at segment level. The Array Control switchgear and controlgear assembly from Phoenix Contact performs this function and records all relevant data related to the current performance of the arrays, the ambient conditions, and the inverter status. This data is transmitted to a higher-level SCADA system in the central control room.
Phoenix Contact provides standard and customer-specific solutions for the automation and visualization of photovoltaic systems. Read more
Continuing to supply machinery and equipment with power, even in the event of a mains failure, is imperative. Similarly, the ability of the UPS to communicate plays an important role in meeting this requirement. For that reason, we came with the new Quint DC UPS is the first intelligent and network-capable uninterruptible power supply for connecting to the Industrial Ethernet.
In many production operations, control systems from different manufacturers and different generations are in use due to long runtimes – many systems are already decades old. This results in a corresponding pressure to modernize process systems. The way to a modern, digital plant is based on a three-step plan. The goal is to bring the communications up to the state of the art so as to optimize maintenance processes, reduce unplanned failures, and make inspection rounds paperless.
As automation becomes increasingly common, the number of sensors and actuators is also increasing – making potential distribution or collection more complex as a result. With this new concept of compact distribution blocks with Push-in Technology, you can now shorten assembly times considerably.
Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) have become a standard in industrial applications. However, it’s not just the DC consumers that need to be protected against power drops. AC loads, such as camera systems or IPCs, also need to keep running during temporary supply failures. Phoenix Contact’s industrial-grade Quint AC UPS with IQ technology offers a more suitable alternative to the office UPS solutions frequently encountered in this area. The Quint AC UPS can be latched onto the DIN rail, it is certified for all standard industrial requirements, and thanks to a range of different power storage concepts, it can be deployed very flexibly.