PEARL PV Participants invite STSM applications for the following topics:
STSM Offer #1:
Topic: Predictive monitoring to detect failures at inverter levels before they occur
Duration: approx. 90 calendar days (normal STSM), or more (if ECI applicant)
Host institution and contact:
David Moser @ eurac research, Bolzano (Italy)
david.moser@eurac.edu, phone: +39 0471 055 627, personal website, EURAC Renewable Energy
Background:
Analysis of inverter monitoring data, predictive maintenance; Topic refers to PEARL PV WG1 and WG3.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
The student will become familiar with clustering techniques and machine learning to apply algorithms on data where failures occurred and will assess the effectiveness of several algorithms in the detection of trends that could lead to failures.
STSM Offer #2:
Topic: Analyse the impact of PV generation on Power Quality
Duration: 90 calendar days (normal STSM), up to 180 calendar days (if ECI applicant)
Host institution and contact:
David Moser @ eurac research, Bolzano (Italy)
david.moser@eurac.edu, phone: +39 0471 055 627, personal website, EURAC Renewable Energy
Background:
Fluctuation on solar irradiance can cause significant variation on PV system output. The variations can affect the power quality (PQ) of the electric system at the point of common coupling (PCC). Topic refers to PEARL PV WG1 and WG3.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
The objective of the STSM is to familiarize with dynamic models to analyze how the solar radiation can influence PQ indices and consequently on electric grid operation and control.
STSM Offer #3:
Topic: Influence of operating temperature on the performances of different BIPV modules
Duration: 90 calendar days (normal STSM), up to 180 calendar days (if ECI applicant)
Host institution and contact:
Gabi Friesen @ SUPSI, CH-6952 Canobbio (Switzerland, Italian speaking part)
gabi.friesen@supsi.ch, phone +41 58 666 6357, www.isaac.supsi.ch
Background:
A typical problem of BiPV systems (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) is the power loss due to temperature increase, because modules often operate close to the building envelope with low ventilation. Moreover the higher operating temperature can influence the durability of the solar cell or in general of the module.
Since 2012 SUPSI has installed outside three different modules (glass-back sheet cSI module, glass-glass c-Si and Si micromorph module) in two configurations. The same technology has been installed in two different configurations: open-rack mounted solution (fully ventilated) and bonded with 20 cm of thermal insulation (non ventilated). Topic refers to PEARL PV WG4.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
In order to assess the influence of the type of integration that caused higher temperature of the cell on the performances of the different modules within the different year and on the durability, interested researchers are asked to evaluate the outdoor monitoring data (temperature behavior, electrical performance, I-V curves) and indoor performance data and visual inspections performed after the dismantling of the modules. Expected result is a publication on a scientific journal.
STSM Offer #4:
Topic: Energy storage integration with PV generation
Duration: from 5 up to approx. 90 calendar days (normal STSM), up to 180 calendar days (if ECI applicant)
Periods not available for STSM: Summer holidays – August, Christmas Holidays – last week of December
Host institution and contact:
Luis Fialho @ Renewable Energies Chair (University of Évora), Évora (Portugal)
lafialho@uevora.pt, phone: +351 266 740 800, RE Chair website
Background:
Analysis of system monitoring data, operation and maintenance of the batteries and overall system, development and rehearsal of energy management strategies; Topic refers to PEARL PV WG5.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
The student will become familiar with energy storage technologies (redox flow and lithium ion), data monitoring and system programming to control the microgrid system. Detection of failures and data analysis.
STSM Offer #5:
Topic: Floating Photovoltaics
Duration: from 5 up to approx. 90 calendar days (normal STSM), up to 180 calendar days (if ECI applicant)
Periods not available for STSM: Summer holidays – August, Christmas Holidays – last week of December
Host institution and contact:
Luis Fialho @ Renewable Energies Chair (University of Évora), Évora (Portugal)
lafialho@uevora.pt, phone: +351 266 740 800, RE Chair website
Background:
Analysis of system monitoring data, development and validation of technical specifications for this PV application, monitoring of operation and maintenance; Topic refers to PEARL PV WG5.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
The student will become familiar with floating photovoltaic technologies, data monitoring, detection of failures and performance analysis. The student will collaborate in the development of technical specifications, real systems monitoring and ongoing research on this topic.
STSM Offer #6:
Topic: Analysis of correlation of PV subsystem performance on a large scale PV system
Duration: 90 calendar days (normal STSM), up to 180 calendar days (if ECI applicant)
Host institution and contact:
Wilfried van Sark @ Utrecht University, NL-3584CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
w.g.j.h.m.vansark@uu.nl, phone +31 30 253 7611, www.uu.nl/copernicus
Background:
At Utrecht University, as in many university campuses, a large-scale 1.2 MWp PV system has been installed spread out over several buildings over an area of about 4 square kilometers. It has been in operation for some years now. Monitoring is per building, but access to all inverters is possible. As in partly cloudy weather, PV power will be ramped up and down within seconds, and for a local energy management system it would be beneficial to properly identify issues with power ramp rates and also to use their correlations in order to improve local and high temporal resolution solar forecasting. Topic refers to PEARL PV WG1, and WG4.
Description of tasks and investigations planned:
Interested researchers are asked to evaluate the outdoor monitoring data (power, irradiation) and to develop generic methods for determining correlations between systems. Expected result is a publication on a scientific journal.