Contact: Heejin Choi
Email: hjchoi2@etri.re.kr
Phone: +82. 42. 860. 4946
Photovoltaic module
information managing
technology based on Sub-
GHz (900MHz) low-power
wireless network
For an efficient energy managing microgrid
2
TECHNOLOGY BRIEF
▣ Technology Overview
Photovoltaic module information managing technology based on
Sub-GHz(900MHz) low-power wireless network
This technology has hardware and software technology that uses low-power
wireless network technology, Sub-GHz(900MHz) band, to monitor and manage
power output information for each module in PV power generation facilities.
□ Keywords
□ TRL
5
기술 분류 코드
대분류
중분류
소분류
Sector
Sub Sector
Industry
Technical Classification Code
Creative Fusion
Energy ICT
Energy production, energy trade
Photovoltaic, Monitoring, DER(Distributed
Energy Resource)
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TECHNOLOGY BRIEF 기술소개서
Photovoltaic module information managing technology based
on Sub-GHz low-power wireless network
▶ Photovoltaic module information
managing technology based on
Sub-GHz low-power wireless
network
• Hardware and software technology
such as encrypted communication
technology using wireless network,
Sub-GHz, network node setting
technology, single-chip supporting
wireless network, and built-in ADC
to col ect electricity information in
PV sector.
• Hardware technology that monitors /
manages
solar
module
power
information
based
on
Sub-GHz
wireless network.
• Software technology that monitors /
manages
solar
module
power
information
based
on
Sub-GHz
wireless network.
▶ Direct use in monitoring / managing in solar module device
▶ Measure and predict amount generated in solar power generation
system
▣ Technology Description
▣ Application Fields
▶ Use in system and service to monitor / manage renewable energy
supply (wind, ESS)
▶ Use in collecting / controlling optimally based on resource distribution
▶ Use various smart grid equipment and systems in communication
infrastructures
▶ Wireless network system to monitor / control supply and demand
devices such as housings / buildings / factories
4
▶ Outstanding Features
• Use Sub-GHz wireless network technology to transmit electricity information
(voltage / current) of PV power module unit.
• Simplify electricity information network configuration using Sub-GHz wireless
network technology.
• Apply encryption technique for information security in wireless network
environment.
• Measure wireless network and electricity information using single-chip.
• Operate monitoring system using PV module power production.
• Change network shapes of wireless network nodes to apply on solar power plant
complex.
• Software technology to send solar module status information
▶ Previous technology
▶ New technology
• Sub-GHz (900MHz) wireless network
(IEEE802.15.4g) based module unit
solar power monitoring technology
• Wireless network software technology
for measuring and transmitting
electricity information.
• Secure wireless network software and
dynamic network configuration
software technology
• Monitoring technology based on
2.4Hz ZigBee wireless network
• Network-based solar power
monitoring technology
• PCS and system unit solar power
monitoring and managing system
technology
• Maximize solar energy production by monitoring solar module
information using Sub-GHz low-power wireless network technology
• Minimize the electricity production cost by low-power wireless network
technology with competitive price for each module.
▣ Competitiveness of technology
▣ IPR Status
Korean Patent: 2 articles applied
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• Ministry of Science, ICT and Future
Planning used propagation
notification for Sub-GHz (900MHz)
wireless band to be used domestical y
such as RFID/USN areas.
• IEEE 802.15.4g low-power wireless
network technology provides
maximum 1 km of wireless
transmission in various sensor
environment.
• The National Assembly has amended
Electricity Business Act to let demand
managing operators to participate in
electricity market because of
insecurity of domestic power supply.
• Demand management is recognized
as a developed resource because
amount of electricity produced is
reduced to amount of electricity used.
• Wireless communication networking
solution is only instal ed in major
public places such as hospitals and
schools. Information management is
used for the whole system not by
each PV module.
• Because the credibility of wireless
network communication stability is
low, patents for wired
communication such as power line
communication and communication
devices are not widely used
compared to Korea and Japan.
• Energy information is provided to
consumers using smart grid
infrastructure. Smart meters such as
IHD and Wal pad are used to
monitor and control home
appliances and its market has been
increasing with more related
enterprise participation.
• Smart grid technology has been applied to consumer domains to
efficiently manage energy production, storage, consumption of consumer
environment. Various technology is development is promoted to
optimize energy supply and demand.
• Renewable energy, especially PV industry, is a hot topic to solve global
warming.
□ Korea
□ Global
▣ Technology Trend
▶Various renewable energy sources, especial y solar power energy, is being
instal ed and managed to produce electricity. This creates balance between
supply and demand for sustainable energy.
•New research are focused on overcoming the problems in solar power plants such as
energy efficiency and optimization, maintenance problems, and heating problems.
•Wired and wireless network based monitoring system is built to manage electricity
production of each PV module to maximize efficient solar power.
•UI centered user monitoring system has been developed to provide PV monitored
information col ected from its sensors on web or smartphones for users.
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기술수요
적용처
▶ Home Power
• Developed a grid linked PV system and a monitoring system that uses data
logging hardware and web to monitor inverter and manage solar power
system.
Because of the increase in solar power system, the demand for monitoring
system to maintain efficient solar energy production is increasing.
▶ OpenEnergyMonitor Group
• Developed a product that can manage solar power system in module level,
string level, and system level; developed a product that gathers monitoring
information through PV power line.
▣ Market Trend
▶ Global PV market is prospected to have total of 589GW with 83.9GW
newly installed in 2020 and annual growth rate of 8.9% (source: SNE
Research).
• Solar monitoring system wil hold 15% of all monitoring market and US
wil hold 30% of al solar monitoring market.
<Global leading corporates in solar monitoring field>
▶ Solar Edge
• Introduced a PV monitoring system on web through wireless network.
Provides guidelines for measuring and managing input and output of
electricity through production level and grid.
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•
Hardware technology that only monitors solar module electricity information using
Sub-GHz wireless network
•
RTU system technology to monitor / manage electricity information
•
Hardware Circuit to measure solar electricity information such as voltage / current
§
Hardware technology that monitors / manages solar module electricity
information using Sub-GHz wireless network
• Software technology that sends solar module voltage/current information based on Sub-GHz
wireless network
• Software technology (Sub-Ghz wireless network dynamic configuration of managed node)
• Secure wireless network software technology based on AES and ARIA.
§
Software technology that monitors / manages solar module electricity
information using Sub-GHz wireless network
▶ System / Service for monitoring / managing solar module
▣ Applications and Effects
▣ Scope of Technology Transfer
Demand
Industry
•
System that monitors /
manages solar module
•
Technology that does
business using generated
amount / management of
distributed resources
(solar)
•
PV business
•
Construction / instal ation
of solar panels
•
Microgrid system
development projects
•
Housing/building energy
management
•
Business with distributed
resources
□ Related Corporates
□ Technology Demand
▶ SIEMENS AG
• Technology that monitors using LAN
▶ ENPHASE ENERGY
• Power operation and monitor
surrounding enviornment rather than
monitor electricity converter.
▶ LARANKELO /SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
• Technology that monitor conversion
device and send data using wire or power
line communication (PLC)
▶ NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR
•Technology that monitors and
communications data using Optical
communication
▶ System / Service for monitoring / managing smart grid / micro grid
energy
▶ System / Service to optimize energy supply / demand for houses /
buildings / factories
▶ System / Service for business-use based on resource distribution
▶ Wireless networking device and service based on WPAN
