RAPID VARIATIONS OF IRRADIANCE AND STRING POWER MEASURED IN MEGA-WATT SOLAR POWER PLANT

Abstract

Automated diagnostic systems are thought to be promising for optimizing the operation and reducing the maintenance cost of mega-watt solar power plants. String powers and meteorological parameters such as irradiance can be measured by the systems without requiring relatively high cost. We have measured string powers and irradiances at short intervals in an operating mega solar power plant. We have investigated the measurement data accumulated for about two years and found a fairly large number of periods of time showing rapid variations of the irradiance and the string power.