The solar energy industry is growing and evolving. Installations of solar parks increase, and the cost of solar energy has fallen. According to the World Economic Forum, more than 115 gigawatts (GW) of solar will be installed worldwide (World Economic Forum, 2020).
New capacity installations per year
(measured in GW)
Source: Global Market Outlook For Solar Power / 2019-2023
The growth of solar PV installations is higher than anticipated, and a total of 102.4 GW solar PV installations were already installed in 2018.
A reliable and high-quality SCADA system is key for your solar PV plant
The solar PV industry is interesting as it differs from other sectors within renewable energy:
“The solar PV energy industry is a little bit different compared to wind and hydro, as there is a faster pace and competitiveness about procuring critical components for the PV plants,” says Joseph Perrone, After Sales Director Americas at SCADA International.
“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to compare the solar PV energy industry to the stock market,” he adds.
When working in the solar PV industry, you appreciate and need reliability. There are so many factors that need to be aligned when you’re building a solar PV park: You need geographical space, spare parts, modules, and a budget that’s on target.
Another important factor is a trustworthy business partner that can provide a high-quality SCADA system to support your operations in a high-paced environment. Due to the increase in solar PV installations that we see these days, operations running the solar PV parks are more important than ever.
We are seeing a high demand for solar PV installations, and especially the US market has experienced a “boom” in 2020. Also, in Europe, we are seeing strong growth with an average of 23.6 GW per year. Germany is leading the way together with the Netherlands, Spain, and France (Global Market Outlook for Solar Power, 2019-2023).
Annual solar PV demand by major region (and forecast)
(2015-2023, measured in GW)
Source: Global Market Outlook For Solar Power / 2019-2023 Wood Mackenzie, 2020
Every solar PV plant requires a SCADA system, but with the variety of options available, how do you distinguish between a high-quality and low-quality system?
At SCADA International, the engineering department are experts in creating SCADA solutions of high quality and know what the system should include to function successfully.
What should a high-quality SCADA system for solar PV include
- Reporting
- Analysis
- Monitoring
- Unify
A reliable and high-quality SCADA system is key for your solar PV plant
Historically, many solar PV plant owners have overlooked the importance of reliable and high-quality data for improving performance and increasing efficiency. The data you receive from your plant is valuable because if the picture is incomplete, it’s difficult to trust and use your data meaningfully. A high-quality SCADA system can normalize data and make them comparable. This can provide enormous added value and create the conditions for working predictively.
To put it in other words, a high-quality SCADA system grants access to correct data that improve production:
“Today, asset management is so important for a plant’s performance. A high-quality SCADA system provides reporting that is important for your daily operations. It turns plant data into valuable knowledge for your organization,” says Joseph Perrone.
Key benefits of a high-quality SCADA system
- Reduces data and system complexity
- Secures access to all data & assets
- Unifies control of all assets
- Provides full ownership over your data
Do you need to update your SCADA system? We offer the best solution in software for your solar PV park.
Check our SCADA system, the OneView® SCADA, here.
World Economic Forum (2020): https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/the-future-looks-bright-for-solar-energy/
Global Market Outlook For Solar Power / 2019-2023, Wood Mackenzie, 2020
