Solar for measuring instruments, measuring points. Monitoring and testing

Solar-heated measuring instruments are needed by wind turbines to collect various wind parameters. The wind sensors or wind direction sensors with solar modules are located on the outside of the nacelle/turbine and work even in icy weather conditions thanks to solar-powered heating. 

The solar-powered wind sensors provide reliable data even when the wind turbine is at a standstill. In icy weather conditions, wind turbines can lose between 10 and 20% of their energy. Sensors that are heated by solar modules reduce the loss. Solar wind measuring instruments always provide reliable parameters, even at temperatures below freezing.

The heating is powered by solar energy. Thus, solar-powered measuring instruments can guarantee reliable operation. The sensors with solar modules are ideal for cold weather their remain functional down to -40 °C and heavy ice formation. 

This earthquake monitoring system is equipped with ten SOLARA 120 Watt solar modules from the solar module production in northern Germany. The system delivers its data to a seismic network for earthquake monitoring using solar power. It is located in Hvassahraun in the Reykjanes region. Reykjavík is about 23 km from the earthquake monitoring station in Hvassahraun.

The earthquake monitoring station with solar installation is connected to the GEOFON network of the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), which is operated together with more than 50 international partners. In the GEOFO-Network, high-quality broadband data for earthquake recording and earthquake monitoring are obtained, among other things, using electricity generation from photovoltaic systems. The Earthquake Information Service is one of the fastest sources of earthquake information in the world. Even the most remote stations for seismic measurements are connected by SOLARA's solar plants to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

SOLARA already equipped buoys for earthquake monitoring for tsunami warning in the Indian Ocean 15 years ago with reliable solar power systems and solar modules from Germany.

Stations with solar power systems, i.e. electricity from photovoltaic solar cells, exist on all continents. In the European-Mediterranean region and around the Indian Ocean, the earthquake monitoring network is particularly dense. Broadband sensors in the earthquake monitoring stations, mostly STS-2, are standard in many cases. The entire seismic spectrum is covered, i.e. from small high-frequency local earthquake events to large global earthquakes.

Important earthquake parameters, e.g. information on the epicentre of an earthquake, are recorded. The epicentre is located around the quake focus, i.e. the place where the earthquake occurred. Other data such as the depth and magnitude of the earthquake are also determined, as well as the time of the event in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). This creates a large seismological data archive.

Measurement technology is important in every aspect and is now mainly digital. Therefore it must exist a power supply. A solar system is the perfect solution for independent power supply.

For the environmental areas of air, noise and water, routine measurements have to be performed, often operated with solar power. Solar systems are designed to ensure that measurements of air, noise and water quality can be continuously monitored. The independent power supply enables measures to secure and improve the media. Solar measuring devices for emission and immission measurements relating to air are carried out for the measuring tasks in a special procedure. It serves to comply with and monitor the air pollution control regulations. Such solar measurements can detect air pollution at the point of its origin (emission) and at its place of action (immission) because the solar panels ensure a safe and independent power supply at every location.

Equip emission measuring devices with solar to detect noise, fine dust and sources of danger on site. With professional solar systems from SOLARA, measuring devices can reliably record and store all data.

It is essential to prevent harmful substances, noise, fine dust and harmful radiation. For this reason, emission values must be observed. But this can only be measured on site. Solar modules provide the necessary power for this even if no power connection can be used directly. This also applies to gas leaks, light sources and suspended matter. Inaccurate measurement results due to measuring points that are too far away or an unreliable power supply can be a disaster. Only with solar energy you can be on the safe side and be up to date to generate professional data.

Appropriate measurement technology is absolutely necessary to determine different physical quantities. Measurement technology is indispensable for automation today. In production, measurement and test data are necessary for the quality of a product. Therefore sophisticated measurement technology has an overarching effect.

To achieve this, modern measurement technology must always work reliably. Therefore it is sensible to use self-sufficient solar systems to ensure reliable measurements at all times.

The measurement technology supplied with solar power today is used for the following processes:

Production process, product quality in one production at the incoming inspection, intermediate inspection and outgoing inspection.

Even in the small power range, reliability is a decisive criterion. Regardless of whether it is a mountain hut or a measuring station, a small solar system is often enough to ensure a power supply, even without complicated inverters. These small DC-coupled systems have the advantage that they can be set up quickly and transported easily, yet they are still able to provide energy for light, radio, TV, cooling, etc.

In addition, the systems form a solid basis for more complex systems. The modular design offers maximum flexibility. Additional components can be integrated step by step at any time as the energy demand grows.