Where IoT is supporting growth in renewable energy assets

The role of IoT in supporting energy and sustainability as part of a carbon neutral future is already evident across many areas. But it’s the growth in renewable energy sources that will deliver some of the most interesting use cases for IoT technology.

Here we look at some of the opportunities and consider how the technology can be rolled out further to support renewables.

Real-time remote monitoring

We know that IoT devices like smart meters are widely used, allowing energy providers to collect data on usage and consumption patterns. But increasingly, IoT is being used to monitor renewable energy assets to help to optimise the performance of wind turbines and solar panels, making them more efficient.

Heavily reliant on the right weather conditions, solar and wind farms in particular, need to operate at maximum efficiency. But weather is unreliable, and sometimes this means demand exceeds supply, or supply exceeds demand when there is too much sunshine or too much wind.

IoT-enabled sensors embedded in panels means that solar farm operators can measure energy output and tilt angle, remotely monitoring panels to ensure they are at the optimum angle for maximum power generation. If they are over-generating, they can be rotated away from the sun.

Sensors fitted to wind turbines continuously monitor the health of the structure, as well as measuring and sending back data on wind speed, direction, and other environmental factors that enables operators to identify areas of concern of inefficiency.

Predictive maintenance and management capabilities

There are also advantages to IoT technology being deployed for proactive maintenance to help detect issues before they become critical, optimising asset performance for efficiency and longevity.

With IoT sensors embedded in wind turbines or solar panels, they can monitor the performance and structural integrity, predicting when a piece of equipment or a machine needs repair or maintenance. For facility managers and maintenance teams, this means less downtime, lower on-site maintenance costs and optimisation of operational performance.

There is also a safety benefit. In hard to reach and challenging locations like offshore wind farms, IoT comes into its own. Sensors fitted to turbines and other complex equipment in remote conditions allows operators to monitor the health and integrity of structures without the risk of sending out crews to do the job.

Wind turbines also tend to be very large and complex, subject to wear and tear especially component parts like bearings. A typical wind turbine consists of more than a dozen bearings that are expected to work simultaneously and continuously for many years. But bearings and gearboxes are susceptible to failure before their end of life, which can lead to costly repairs/replacement or unplanned downtime.

Solar is another interesting use case. Like wind farms, solar farms require constant monitoring and maintenance to spot any malfunctions or if panels have been damaged or compromised. Again, like wind farms, wireless communications plays a key role with the strategic placement of IoT sensors and devices in locations where other technologies simply cannot reach.

In vast areas of the US, there are some the world’s largest solar farm developments. These harsh environments are hot and challenging to work in, often with no regular maintenance crew on-site, and with extremes in temperature – and constant sand and dust – affecting the structural integrity of equipment and causing mechanical stress. For operators, having access to real time data about equipment failures or damage is critical.

Enhanced grid management

Balancing supply with demand is fundamental for any grid operations and for those dominated by renewable energy sources, this balance becomes more challenging. IoT-enabled smart grids can help bolster grid stability and reliability. With real-time data on power demand, supply, and grid conditions, operators can optimise power distribution, detect, and respond to faults, ensuring more resilient and secure grid infrastructure.

IoT solutions can also help seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources into the power grid. By constantly monitoring energy production from renewable sources and adjusting power flow in response to changing conditions, IoT-enabled systems ensure a smooth integration of intermittent renewable energy.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of potential. As the renewable energy sector continues to grow, technologies like IoT, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and big data analytics will become increasingly important in helping to manage and optimise renewable energy assets.

From our perspective as a global industry alliance of member companies, it means that open standards-based wireless communications increasingly are becoming an important enabler for these large-scale IoT applications, helping to deliver a more sustainable energy future.