Development of a meteorological data acquisition prototype: A low-cost and mobile proposal

Abstract

The huge use of fossil fuel has been causing a series of environmental problems, such as climate change, global warming, air pollution and acid rain. To solve these problems and save the environment, the renewable energy technologies have been emerged as solution to meet the global energy demand. Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy that uses solar radiation to produce electricity. Its development has been growing very fast in recent years due to technological improvement and government support for this electricity production source. One of the aspects that directly affects the efficiency of photovoltaic generation is the climatic factor, so studying the impact of climatological variables, such as, solar irradiance, ambient temperature, wind speed, temperature of the photovoltaic module, among others, and proposing ways to mitigate such impacts is an important way to further provide for the growth of this source of energy generation. Weather stations are devices equipped with measuring sensors to measure and record weather/climate variables. Due to the often-difficult accessibility of photovoltaic plants, automatic weather stations are considered the most recommended for this application. The typical problem with automatic weather stations is their high cost, which makes it difficult to use them in various applications. In this context, the aim of this work is to build a low-cost, portable weather station with self-sufficient sensors for use in remote areas and/or areas that are difficult to access, for application in photovoltaic power plants and rural properties. Data observation and monitoring can be carried out using an IoT platform, providing gains in terms of travel and agility. Field tests and results show that the proposed station provides satisfactory responses when compared to the commercial weather station. Furthermore, the prototype developed is a low-cost solution compared to the prices of commercial systems available, making it extremely viable for use by owners of small and medium-sized photovoltaic plants and in rural areas.