Maximizing Efficiency: Central Monitoring for Solar and Wind Power Plants

In the rapidly evolving landscape of renewable energy, the importance of central monitoring for solar and wind power plants cannot be overstated. Wind and solar power plants will account for 33% of the World’s Electricity supply by 2030, in just 7 more years. The Energy sector will play a large role in achieving our global climate goals, a report by Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) mentioned. The growth is driven not by subsidies or any Government mandate. However, the economics of the Renewable energy. For e.g the cost of solar power, which is already the cheapest form of electricity production, will fall as low as $20 per megawatt hour (MWh) from around $40 MWh currently, as more projects are deployed and economies of scale will further improve, the report said.

Total renewable electricity capacity additions, 2001-2027, IEA License: CC By 4.0

Efficient and reliable energy production is critical, and central monitoring is the linchpin that ensures optimal operation and swift issue resolution. At Apollo Energy Analytics, we understand the significance of this, and we have developed a simple and robust solution to meet the needs as the Portfolios increase not just in MW / GWs but also the no. of sites, Geographies over which the portfolios will be spread over.

Need for Central Monitoring:

Solar and central monitoring power plants are often distributed across vast areas, making it challenging to monitor each component and its performance individually. Wind central monitoring provides a unified platform where operators can oversee the entire system in real-time. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also allows for proactive maintenance, reducing downtime and optimizing energy production. It also enhances monitoring by exception and overall simplifies the operations for the Power plants.

Need for Alarm Consolidation:

In a complex renewable energy ecosystem – Solar, Wind and BESS, with Millions of Equipment, alarms and notifications can be overwhelming. Apollo Energy Analytics addresses this by consolidating alarms into a streamlined dashboard. The dashboard allows the user to categorize or suppress the Alarms, create custom alarms and also download or analyse the historical alarms. With our solution, operators can access all critical alerts and performance data in one place, reducing the risk of missing crucial information and accelerating decision-making. The best feature is the auto-stratification of the Alarms by Plant / Equipment and Criticality as well. Our cutting-edge central monitoring system is designed to provide a comprehensive view of solar and wind power plant operations. It collects data from various sensors and devices, analyses it in real-time, and offers actionable insights. Alarm consolidation ensures that operators are immediately informed of any irregularities, empowering them to respond promptly to issues and minimize downtime.

Advantages of Central Monitoring:

Enhanced Efficiency: Central monitoring optimizes energy production by identifying and addressing operational issues swiftly. This minimizes downtime and maximizes the return on investment. The immediate identification of Inverters or Turbines that are down makes things a breeze. The ROC App with Satellite weather integration provides and ease interface to observe all the plants in the World. Proactive Maintenance: With real-time insights, operators can schedule maintenance when it’s needed rather than reactively addressing problems after they’ve occurred, reducing costs and downtime. Navigation from ROC app to the Maintenance and Events app is a one click solution, users can even create a Work Order directly from an Event / Alarm app. Improved Decision-Making: Central monitoring provides a holistic view of plant performance, enabling informed decisions and enhancing the long-term sustainability of renewable energy operations. Since, ROC is Live View, User can go to the Performance or Energy app within the Advanced analytics tab and drive actions to deliver on the end results. Enhanced Safety: Alarms consolidation ensures that critical safety alerts are never missed, safeguarding both the equipment and the environment. Data-Driven Insights: By analysing historical data, via the Apollo Performance app and Health Insights app, operators can identify trends and patterns that lead to continuous improvements in energy production and system reliability. In conclusion, central monitoring is the backbone of efficient and reliable apollo Solar and wind power plant operations. Apollo Energy Analytics provides a solution that streamlines data, offers real-time insights, and ensures efficient management of renewable energy assets. With our system in place, energy producers can harness the full potential of solar and wind resources, making a significant contribution to a sustainable future – and enabling more Generation from the same assets!