The use of solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology is increasing rapidly owing to the huge demand for energy especially in the urban areas. Solar PV installations require approximately 8-10 m2 of land per kW of installation. In order to meet the energy demands of the urban dwellings, there is a dire need for a solution with high energy density. In addition, with the large scale grid integration of renewable energy sources, grid stability has become an issue. Hence, it is desirable to achieve a relatively uniform energy generation from solar PV installations throughout the year. Also, due to the large transmission losses and curtailment, there is a need to move toward decentralized energy generation
A 3 kW IoT enabled smart solar tree is developed & demonstrated. Optimized solar panel placement is achieved to minimize shading losses to less than 5% and provide a levelized energy generation throughout the year. The complete system is enabled with an IoT sensor platform for performance and environmental parameter monitoring.
Applications:
- The solar tree can be used in smart cities
- The conventional agriculture can be upgraded to smart agriculture
- Smart highways with EV charging stations
- Sustainable and green EV mobility
