With the increased use of renewable energy resources there’s an even greater need for grid stability. Phil Beecher, CEO and President, Wi-SUN Alliance, looks at the role of the IoT and wireless communications in delivering enhanced grid stability together with improved management and maintenance of renewable energy sources.

Global additions of renewable power capacity are expected to rise by a third this year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), driven by government commitments to net zero and a need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, combined with growing fears over energy security in the wake of recent geo-political events.

Much of this will come from solar PV and wind power, with solar capacity expected to account for two-thirds of the projected growth in renewable energy capacity.

The IEA reports that progress is “promising” with 2022 a standout year for renewable electricity capacity additions, amounting to around 340 GW. But of the renewable energy sources we have available, from wind farms and geothermal, to hydro and others,solar is the only technology on track to deliver on a global commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

For grid operators and utilities, there are serious considerations when it comes to renewable energy generation, particularly when it comes to the intermittent nature of distributed energy sources (DER). Integrating many variable sources presents both technical and operational challenges, not least in ensuring power grids are stable and can deliver the right voltage and frequency for customers when and where they need it.

The Internet of Things (IoT) can provide benefits, however. Not only for enhanced grid stability, but also for the real time monitoring of renewable assets, many of which are in remote, hostile or hard-to-reach locations.

IoT-enabled smart grids can boost grid stability and reliability. Balancing supply with demand is fundamental for any grid operations and for those dominated by renewable energy, this balance becomes more challenging.

When the wind blows

Most renewable energy sources – if we accept that solar and wind farms are the main sources right now – rely on the right weather conditions. Sometimes demand exceeds supply, but there are times when supply might exceed demand, if there is too much sunshine or too much wind for example.

Energy storage technologies like batteries play an important role in helping to control the fluctuating nature of renewable energy, storing it for future demand. But is there a role for IoT at the source of the power?

Solar farms are an interesting use case, where you could wirelessly control solar panels to follow the sun, ensuring they are at the optimum angle for maximum power generation. If they are over-generating, and the operator is unable to store the power, they could then rotate them away from the sun.

Then there’s wind power, much of which is generated offshore, which provides its own unique challenges. According to McKinsey research, global installed offshore wind capacity is expected to reach 630 GW by 2050, up from 40 GW in 2020. The Asia-Pacific region has the greatest long term potential, while in the US it’s still early days, although President Joe Biden has issued an executive order calling for 30 GW of offshore wind capacity to be installed by 2030.

Offshore wind farms are hard to reach, but still require constant monitoring and maintenance for the structural integrity of the turbines. Wind turbines are 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 up to two decades.

The problem is that bearings and gearboxes are susceptible to failure well before their end of life, and failures in equipment are major causes of downtime leading to costly unplanned repairs and replacement.

In this scenario, IoT sensors could be fitted to the turbines to continuously monitor the health of the structure, sending information back via wireless connections on each turbine, which then can connect to a border router at the point of aggregation. In fact, communication via a wireless connection is more reliable in case of potential damage to subsea cabling.

The solar challenge and opportunity

Solar farms present similar challenges. Like wind farms, solar technology requires constant monitoring and maintenance, and wireless communications can play a key role here with the strategic placement of IoT sensors and devices in locations where other technologies cannot reach.

In the US, mostly in areas like California, Nevada and Texas, there are some the biggest solar developments in the world. Such environments are inhospitable, hot and very challenging to work in. The extremes in desert temperatures can also cause expansion and contraction of solar panels, while sand and dust can affect the structural integrity of equipment and potentially cause mechanical stress.

Many of these large-scale structures run autonomously with no on-site maintenance crew so having real time data and information about damage, from natural disasters or deliberate sabotage, is critical.

New technologies can offer solutions to these problems. For example, the opportunity to use drones to inspect solar panels, incorporating artificial intelligence for visual inspection, but also coupling this with sensors mounted on the panels to detect incident light energy and power generated. A Japanese research organisation is already testing Wi-SUN FAN (Field Area Networks) on drones.

Energy companies like Hawaiian Electric are also recognising the huge potential of wireless communications as an enabler for large-scale IoT applications as it focuses on providing clean, reliable, and sustainable energy to customers and communities alike.

As renewable energy from sources including wind, solar and hydro becomes a reality rather than just an alternative for most of us in the future, we can only hope that IoT and related technologies will become the tools of choice in driving change towards more sustainable energy future.

Phil Beecher, President & CEO, Wi-SUN Alliance