A Smart Control System For Solar Photovoltaic Power Supply In Rural Africa

Abstract

Rural African countries are suffering from energy poverty despite their high potential energy resources. Renewable energy sources, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV), have to be deployed to ensure daily life activities. Associated with information and communication technologies, solar PV systems can contribute in establishing a sustainable development for these countries. Managing and controlling electrification is one of the sustainable solutions that can be adopted. This paper focuses on developing an Internet-of -Things (IoT) based Smart Power Supply Control (SPSC) System for PV Off-grid residential systems. The proposed control system stands on a Machine to Machine (M2M) communication and a GSM network between the administrator SMS server and the client power supply control box. The sizing of the PV off-grid home system has been presented, the economic analysis including the billing process have been described. The proposed SPSC system advantages and scenarios have been detailed. The system architecture has been investigated. Its main function programs have been explained via flowcharts.  Application scenarios have been validated on a real PV off-grid residential load to control its power supply functioning depending on monthly PV electricity bill payment and quota consumption exhaustion. This Smart control system can be used in rural areas where no communication network is available except the GSM network. It helps solar PV installer companies control the house solar PV electrification depending on bill payment. Thus, it provides an overall evaluation of the solar PV market and a particular evaluation of solar PV generation compared with other off-grid generation technologies.