Inverter Monitoring Software: what it is and what are the advantages

The development of inverter monitoring software grows hand in hand with the world of photovoltaics, guaranteeing new functions that allow installers to manage systems in an increasingly accurate way.

When submitting a connection request, the electricity distributor is asked for a quote which, once accepted, will provide for the reservation of the requested network capacity and therefore the possibility of introducing an energy flow equal to the output power of the inverter.

 

This is not always possible.

 

The period we are experiencing with an enormous demand for connections due to the growth of the planned plants has created critical areas in some areas of our country, areas in which the network capacity of the current electrical infrastructure is close to saturation and requires of infrastructural adaptation works.

 

Nella soluzione tecnica di connessione che il cliente riceve si avrà una stima della tempistica dei lavori di adeguamento della rete esistente (a carico del gestore di rete), che per il cliente finale si può tradurre nell’impossibilità di prenotare la potenza in immissione richiesta per un periodo di tempo che può arrivare a diversi anni. 

 

The network manager

 

The network manager allows you to connect the system in provisional mode, a transitory mode which, while waiting for the infrastructural adaptation works to be carried out, temporarily limits the reservation of the input power previously requested even to the point of canceling it.

Given the saturation of the lines, in areas where the transient mode is required, the connection may involve the provision of installation of equipment, specifically needed for the duration of the transient connection itself, aimed at limiting the input power, in compliance with the priorities of connection/input to be recognized by other parties and also to guarantee the safety of the electricity system.

 

 

Monitoring systems can accommodate cases of this kind, through commands that remotely manage the functions of the inverters.

Among the most useful functions in this field we have the export limit and the possibility of acting directly on the inverter parameters, limiting or even turning it off, all remotely.

Both of these functions are capable of cutting the energy fed into the grid if the connection situation requires it.

The export limit, for example, is a setting that serves to limit the value of energy fed into the grid by the inverter within different limits, generally from 10% to 100% of the excess energy produced.

Being able to act directly on the inverter through remote commands can in some cases (very high self-consumption) guarantee that the input power is equal to 0 kWh.

 

 

 

The more complex, or rather more profound, monitoring systems are able to provide a complete overview of the system being monitored, for example allowing the visualization of the voltage and amperage values in the individual strings of each inverter.

Possibility of managing systems of this type are a significant added value for the operational life of the photovoltaic system and for the maintenance to which it is subject.

As the Inveco Group we aim to make the process of managing the photovoltaic system in operation as streamlined and efficient as possible by offering the customer various after-sales services.