AUO just announced that Taipower has certified its cloud-based intelligent solution for the remote monitoring and control of PV systems. The solution, which is called SunVeillance, is now formally deemed as having met the requirements for the application of “Distribution Renewable Energy Advanced Management System (DREAMS)”. AUO is among the first group of technology suppliers that received the DREAMS certification for their system monitoring and control solutions.
As a government-run utility, Taipower supports policies that promote energy transition and is incorporating more sources of renewable generation into Taiwan’s power grid system. Taipower now projects that renewables will account for around 20% of Taiwan’s energy mix by 2025, and PV installations on the island will also come to around 20GW by that time.
Adding more renewable generation will require the grid to be more resilient when facing challenges such as generation intermittency and excess supply. Hence, Taipower now mandates that the PV power plants on the island will be under the supervision of not only their respective operators but also a certified monitoring and control platform. This way, Taipower will be more effective in dispatching power from an increasingly diverse range of generation sources and thereby maintain the stability of the island’s electricity supply. With more PV power plants connected to the grid, Taipower has accelerated its efforts to address the related side effects such as voltage fluctuations that can cause the quality of electricity supply to decline.
AUO entered the field of solar PV in 2008 and has amassed a huge amount of expertise. It now plays the key role of the planner and consolidator of solar projects. Besides supplying PV modules that score high on quality and reliability, AUO also offers EPC, O&M, and other related services.
SunVeillance, which is one of the latest offerings from AUO’s solar business, is a total solution for monitoring and control. Specifically, the platform provides the following: (1) a cloud-based monitoring and control system; (2) a data collection system for tracking present and historical statistics of the user’s PV systems; (3) an interface for connecting the user’s PV systems to the internet; and (4) an IoT-enabled sensing system. SunVeillance can be accessed on computer web browsers, smartphones, tablets, etc. Furthermore, the platform can meet the specific needs of different types of PV systems (e.g., rooftop, ground-mounted, and floating). All in all, SunVeillance represents a new operational model for PV power plants.
AUO has stated that its solar business has plenty of experience in O&M of PV power plants and spent nearly a decade in the development of the software for remote monitoring and control. Therefore, it immediately achieved success in making SunVeillance compatible with Taipower’s DREAMS. In terms of communication technology, SunVeillance adopts DNP 3.0 and VPN for transmitting and receiving data. Other measures are also implemented to prevent unauthorized access of the platform and ensure network security.
It is also worth pointing out that SunVeillance is compatible with more than 90% of the solar inverter models that are now in the market. Hence, the platform can be immediately adopted in practically all solar projects around the world for real-time monitoring. The data it collects are crucial for on-site O&M and implementation of preventative measures because they can be used to quickly diagnose irregularities and potential issues.
In sum, SunVeillance is a one-stop solution that synergizes the monitoring and control platform with the operation of the PV power plant. Its deployment can maximize the efficiency of individual PV systems and reduce the cost of project development. With Taipower’s certification, the plant operators that use SunVeillance can now meet the grid-connection requirements in addition to enjoying the other benefits provided by the platform.
AUO has stated that SunVeillance follows the high standard that Taipower set for data security. At the same time, it can work in conjunction with the existing monitoring and control systems. Therefore, the cost of adoption is relatively insignificant. In addition to maintaining connection with Taipower’s DREAMS, SunVeillance offers a wide range of services and undergoes regular software updates. Therefore, the platform will be instrumental in maximizing the efficiency of PV power plants as their O&M is frequently and painless upgraded. Ultimately, SunVeillance provides convenience to plant operators.
Looking ahead, AUO hopes that the DREAMS certification will help its solar business in creating more economic benefits for its clients and finding more opportunities with its industry partners.
(Image credit: AUO.)