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This paper studies and analyzes the implementation of different types of clean and renewable solar energy in municipal buildings of Soria (Spain). Three different scenarios are analyzed. Firstly the implementation of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy on the roof of municipal buildings, secondly the implementation of hybrid solar energy (including thermal and PV solar energy) in buildings with significant thermal consumption, which corresponds to the buildings with hemmed pool and thirdly, the execution of a PV generation system with storage through a hydraulic structure, with the support of the grid. The aim is to satisfy the electricity and/or thermal demand of the municipal buildings and of a specific area of the city, the Castle Park and River area, as well as promoting self-consumption with renewable distributed generation in cities. This last aim is included within the Sustainable and Integrated Urban Development Strategies of the region, which encourages the energy efficiency and the increased use of renewable energy in urban areas.

Within this study, single-cable propagation facilitated by PV strings’ wiring characteristics is considered for an adapted design of PLC electronics. We propose to close the communications signal path, resulting in a ring topology where a resonance condition could be implemented. A PLC topology using the resulting circular closed-loop path of a PV series string as its physical communication support is designed and leveraged for practical use. When the path length or the number of transceivers is changed, the resonance properties that come with the circular path as the physical support are affected but are shown to be preserved with the application of automatic adjustable tuning. This automatic tuning guarantees that the resonance improves propagation parameters and reverts the system to its optimal values at the chosen carrier frequency.

An I-V curve measurement technique is one of the most important techniques available for characterising photovoltaic cells. Measuring an accurate I-V curve at the single-cell level is a challenging task because of the low voltages and high currents implied, requiring the management of very low impedances. In this paper, the authors propose a low-cost device for I-V curve measurements of single (or small amounts) of cells in a series based on the charge transfer between two capacitors of equal capacitance. Our measurement strategy allows us to trace the usual first quadrant curve (the normal working region of solar cells) as well as the second and fourth quadrants of the I-V curve, which are quite important for research purposes. A prototype was built to demonstrate the feasibility and successful measurements of the three-quadrant I-V curve, obtained for more than 20 different cells. To use the device in a laboratory, without depending on the solar irradiation, a modular platform was 3D-printed, integrating a board with infrared LEDs as irradiating devices, and housing (to place the solar cell under test). The result is a useful low-cost setup for three-quadrant I-V curve tracing that works as expected.

Accurate photovoltaic (PV) diagnosis is of paramount importance for reducing investment risk and increasing the bankability of the PV technology. The application of fault diagnostic solutions and troubleshooting on operating PV power plants is vital for ensuring optimal energy harvesting, increased power generation production and optimised field operation and maintenance (O&M) activities. This study aims to give an overview of the existing approaches for PV plant diagnosis, focusing on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based approaches, that can support PV plant diagnostics using imaging techniques and data-driven analytics. This review paper initially outlines the different degradation mechanisms, failure modes and patterns that PV systems are subjected and then reports the main diagnostic techniques. Furthermore, the essential equipment and sensor's requirements for diagnosing failures in monitored PV systems using UAV-based approaches are provided. Moreover, the study summarizes the operating conditions and the various failure types that can be detected by such diagnostic approaches. Finally, it provides recommendations and insights on how to develop a fully functional UAV-based diagnostic tool, capable of detecting and classifying accurately failure modes in PV systems, while also locating the exact position of faulty modules.