Smarter Solar Photovoltaic Plant Monitoring With RAKwireless and LoRaWAN®
| Quick Look Use Case Summary | |
|---|---|
| Principal Emphasis | RAKwireless Product Value |
| Supporting Themes | LoRaWAN® Education |
| Industry | Renewable Energy / Solar Power |
| Sub-Industry | Utility-scale Photovoltaic Plants |
| Deployment Area | Field-level monitoring across solar arrays and plant infrastructure |
| IoT Product(s) Used | LoRaWAN® network, RAK7289V2 Gateway, RAK antennas, RAK sensors, Weidnova controllers, field sensors, cloud/server integration |
Highlights
Large photovoltaic plants often face slow deployments and visibility gaps due to heavy wired setups. These challenges increase costs and limit timely action. Weidnova overcame this by switching to LoRaWAN and partnering with RAKwireless. By deploying the RAK7289V2 Gateway with RAK antennas and sensors, they built a wireless infrastructure that delivers real-time performance data to the cloud. This setup reduces installation complexity, lowers operational costs, and helps operators catch problems early. This provided a more responsive and cost-effective solar monitoring solution.
Case Overview
A photovoltaic (PV) plant is a large solar energy facility that uses rows of solar panels to generate electricity from sunlight. These plants are often located in remote or less-populated areas where sunlight is abundant and land is widely available. A typical PV setup includes:
- Strings of solar panels
- Inverters
- Data loggers
- Weather stations
- Control units
These components monitor solar radiation, collect energy, and convert it into usable power. Ideally, data should flow from each part of the plant to a central system so operators can understand what’s working and what’s not. This is because when any part of this system breaks down or becomes slow, the entire energy output suffers.
Most traditional systems use wired infrastructure or limited wireless range, which makes full-site control very difficult. To improve efficiency and reduce the time and cost of maintenance, new technologies like LoRaWAN networks, smart controllers, and automated weather stations are now being introduced. These tools help operators connect their systems wirelessly, monitor them remotely, and respond quickly to prevent issues from escalating.
This use case will explore the critical need for smarter solutions in PV plants and the challenges operators face. We will also look at how Weidnova and RAKwireless partnered to solve some of these issues in a real PV plant. This use case explores how a combination of LoRaWAN, industrial weather stations, smart controllers, and long-range gateways enables real-time monitoring. Before going into the solution, let’s take a look at the challenges that often get in the way.
The Problem
More industries are now turning to solar energy to power their operations. As the shift to solar adoption grows, operators require improved performance in large-scale solar or photovoltaic (PV) plants. However, many still face one major problem:
‘The farther the plant, the slower the fix. The more complex the setup, the harder it is to see what’s wrong’.
This, in turn, leads to the loss of valuable time, and by the time someone identifies the fault, the plant may have already lost hours of energy production. Visibility is crucial in optimizing the performance of large-scale PV plants and meeting clean energy demands.
Even when the system design looks simple, running a PV plant brings several practical challenges. Each of these hurdles adds complexity to daily operations and can eventually affect energy production if not addressed on time.
Here’s a closer look at these challenges and how they connect to the bigger problem:
| Challenge | What Does It Look Like In Practice? | How It Adds to the Main Problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Locations | PV plants are often far from cities or support centers. Technicians need to travel long hours just to check one fault. | This delays the response time to problems and raises operating costs. |
| Performance Drops | Panels may underperform due to dust, string failures, or bad weather. But finding the exact cause takes time. | Delayed fault detection can lead to reduced energy output and revenue. |
| High Maintenance Costs | Routine checks require manpower and fuel. Many times, visits turn out to be unnecessary. | Wasted resources and increased operating costs can reduce profit margins. |
| Data Collection Gaps | Without the right tools, real-time data is hard to gather from every panel and part. | Lack of timely insights can hinder the prevention or response to faults. |
Every small delay creates a chain reaction, and every chain starts with a single broken link. Overall, these challenges combine together to create one central problem, which we have mentioned earlier:
A lack of timely “visibility” and “control”.
Due to this problem, operators don’t get fast access to accurate data and are forced to react late. This further leads to long downtimes and compromised plant productivity, all of which directly affect profitability and sustainability.
The Solution
To address these challenges, PV plants need smarter solutions that provide real-time data, improve operational efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs. Two key components of such a system are advanced controllers and weather stations, both integrated into a LoRaWAN network. This is where RAKwireless and Weidnova joined hands to deliver one of the most advanced IoT solutions for smart PV plant monitoring.
Weidnova’s Photovoltaic String Monitoring System, integrated with RAKwireless’s RAK7289V2 gateway, demonstrates the benefits of a smart and connected PV solution.
Weidnova’s PV String Monitoring System and Weather Stations
RAKwireless combined connectivity solutions with Weidnova’s hardware to build smarter and more reliable PV plant solutions. The Weidnova Photovoltaic String Monitoring System helps to monitor your solar assets and gather real-time performance data.
It is designed with modern PV operations and allows plant operators to monitor up to 32 individual strings within each combiner box. They can easily add these units to existing cabinets. The system supports both wired and wireless communication, which makes it flexible for different site conditions.
To provide a comprehensive overview of plant performance, the solution also includes Weidnova’s weather stations. These stations are equipped with sensors to track key environmental factors like:
- Temperature
- Solar Irradiance
- Wind Speed and Direction
- Rainfall and Humidity
The weather stations send this data in real time to a local SCADA or any cloud platform via the LoRaWAN network. This data helps operators make informed decisions, like when to clean the panels or adjust maintenance schedules based on weather conditions. Eventually, teams can reduce waste, optimize resource allocation, and protect long-term investment.
Controllers Catalyzing Solar Plant Productivity
So far, monitoring strings and tracking weather have helped operators understand their Photovoltaic plants. These tools show when problems happen and how the environment affects performance. But one question remains:
How do operators manage and act on this data efficiently?
How can plan operations be maintained without constant manual checks??
This is where we need the ‘controllers’. They gather data from sensors, watch the system’s health, and send important information through the LoRaWAN network. Operators use controllers to see how the plant performs in real time. Controllers also send alerts when something goes wrong and guide quick actions to fix problems.
This is how operators get the right information at the right time and make better decisions that keep the plant efficient and productive. Controllers work with monitoring systems to track internal plant operations and gather data from inverters, sensors, and other PV components.
These controllers serve as the plant’s decision-making hub and play a key role in managing and improving PV plant performance. This lets operators:
- Manage performance by seeing real-time data on strings, energy yield, and system health so they can spot problems right away.
- Receive automatic alerts and act fast to mitigate issues.
- Use clear data to make smart choices and improve overall efficiency.
They spot problems fast and help keep the plant running at its best. This means less downtime and more energy produced every day.
LoRaWAN Connectivity in Solar Operations
Staying connected across all parts of a large solar plant is essential for smooth operation. Traditional wiring can be expensive and complicated, especially as the plant grows and changes. LoRaWAN networks offer a wireless solution that makes communication easier and more reliable.
- Saves money as wireless communication removes the need to install and maintain costly cables across the site.
- Grows with your plant because the network easily supports more sensors and devices as you expand your operations.
- Keeps a strong connection even in tough environments, as the network ensures uninterrupted data flow.
LoRaWAN connectivity allows operators to receive timely and clear information from every corner of the plant. This helps them spot issues early and keep the system running at its best.
Private Network Setup with LoRa
One of the significant advantages of using LoRa is that you can easily establish a private network. This capability makes LoRa an optimal choice for better connectivity and reliable communication within photovoltaic plants.
Using this technology makes managing solar plants simpler and more efficient every day.
Why Go Wireless?
While wired setups like RS485 are functional, they involve higher costs and logistical challenges of installing copper cables. Laying copper cables across a large solar plant can slow down deployment and drive up expenses. A wireless setup using LoRaWAN removes all those barriers. Data travels from field devices to a Weidnova communication box and then flows smoothly to the cloud or a central server.
This data integrates easily into your SCADA system without needing heavy infrastructure. They can catch problems early and respond fast. This not only improves energy output but also lowers ongoing costs.
The Benefits of Wireless LoRaWAN
- Reduces material and labor costs by removing the need for long cables
- Allows for quicker installation, especially in remote or tricky locations
- Provides scalability for plan expansion with your plant by adding more sensors or devices
- Provides timely alerts so operators can respond quickly to issues
With a wireless LoRaWAN, operators get more freedom, less hassle, and a smarter way to manage the plant. It turns complex setups into clean and connected systems that are ready to grow and perform better every day.
RAKwireless Gateway in LoRaWAN Communication
For a large-scale PV plant LoRaWAN deployment, the infrastructure must be robust, adaptable, and user-friendly. That is not just about performance in theory, it’s about real-world compatibility and long-term usability. Weidnova turned to RAKwireless for these exact reasons.
The RAK7289V2 Gateway brought the following strengths to the table:
-
Global Certifications
This gateway meets international compliance standards and fits perfectly into different regulatory environments. -
User-Friendly Software
Setup and management are simple. The interface supports smooth operation even in fast-moving or large-scale installations. -
Steady Performance
In high-capacity solar plants, consistency matters. The RAK7289V2 delivers dependable operation, which keeps communication running even in tough conditions.
The RAKwireless solution provided reliability across borders and simplicity at scale. In a system where every part must work together without fail, this gateway helped build a solid foundation.
The Outcome
When photovoltaic plants grow in size, operational complexity also grows with them. Long cables, late alerts, and manual supervision no longer meet the demands of today’s energy networks. That’s where the joint solution from RAKwireless and Weidnova played the ultimate role.
By integrating RAK7289V2 LoRaWAN Gateways, Weidnova’s PV controllers, and a robust wireless network, operators achieved real-time visibility. This eventually led to fast response capabilities and better energy production without laying miles of copper cables.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
| Challenge | RAK + LoRaWAN Solution | Results Achieved |
|---|---|---|
| Long cable runs across large PV fields | RAK7289V2 enabled wireless communication with wide-range LoRaWAN® connectivity. | Reduced need for extensive copper cabling infrastructure. |
| Delays in identifying equipment failures | Real-time monitoring with Weidnova controllers + RAK gateway alerts. | Improved detection and fast action reduced downtime and increased yield. |
| Difficulty scaling the monitoring system | Scalable LoRaWAN® setup that grows with plant size. | Simplified integration of additional sensors and devices |
| Inconsistent communication in harsh weather | Robust RAK7289V2 gateway with industrial-grade performance. | Maintained data transmission in various environmental conditions. |
| Lack of centralized data visibility | Seamless cloud/server integration via Weidnova’s communication box. | Provided a unified SCADA view for operators, supporting decision-making. |
With no cables holding it back and a network that grows with the plant, the system gave Weidnova exactly what they needed: clear data at the right time. This ultimately resulted in less downtime, lower maintenance costs, and better overall energy performance.
Winding it Up
We need more than panels and wires. We need smarter and advanced systems that watch, learn, and act without pause.
When Weidnova’s precise monitoring meets RAKwireless’s latest IoT technology, the solar plant stops being just a collection of parts. It becomes a living system that is aware and responsive to its surroundings.
Power What’s Next in Solar
Contact us today to build a communication network that gives you full visibility into your PV plant, from inverters to sensors, all in real time.
