Carbon footprint optimization as PLC control strategy in solar power system automation

摘要

Control and automation forms an integral part in the design of solar power conversion systems for stand-alone village installations as well as for industrial scale grid-connected installations. Some control designs employ digital implementation platforms such as robust industrial standard Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC's) with remote control/access capabilities. The Siemens Simatic S7-1214C TIA platform was chosen as PLC platform to automate an easy-to-assemble stand-alone mechatronic solar concentrator platform for power generation in rural Africa. This paper describes issues around a CO2 impact optimization algorithm as control concept for the automation of the solar power generation and tracking system wherein a digital power budget principle forms the basis for artificially intelligent decision architecture to maximize CO2 impact of the solar power system. The proposed control strategy would be of value to both off-grid rural power generation systems and commercial solar farms where CO2 impact optimization eventually impacts directly on the carbon footprint of a solar farm.