Advances in Devices for Measuring and Calculating the Performance Ratio Indicator of a Photovoltaic Plant

Abstract

The Performance Ratio (PR) is a key indicator for the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic plants (PV), as it measures the system's real efficiency compared to its theoretical performance. The efficient management of these power plants requires precise PR measurement. Previous research identified a crucial methodological error, since the necessary parameters for the calculation (power, irradiance, temperature) were not captured in the same instant. To address this limitation, the development of the modular PRMeter device is presented, which is the main component of a remote management platform based on free software. The architecture of the PRMeter ensures the simultaneous capture of all necessary data for the PR calculation algorithm, thereby eliminating the methodological error. The PRMeter was mounted in a real photovoltaic power plant. The results

confirm the device's precision and its capacity to incorporate all the necessary variables for the telemonitoring and remote management of the power plant.