Solar Power Monitoring System Using IoT

Solar Power Monitoring System Using IoT

Monitoring solar panel performance is essential for maximizing energy yield. This project implements an IoT-based solar power monitoring system. Voltage sensors measure the panel output, ACS712 sensors measure load current, and a DS18B20 sensor monitors panel temperature. The Arduino calculates instantaneous power output and transmits everything via ESP8266 WiFi to a cloud platform. The dashboard displays real-time readings and historical trends, enabling performance analysis.

Components

Arduino Uno
Voltage Sensor Module
ACS712 Current Sensor
ESP8266
DS18B20 Temperature Sensor

Components	Hexkart	Flipkart
Arduino Uno	Buy Now	Buy Now
Voltage Sensor Module	Buy Now	Buy Now
ACS712 Current Sensor	Buy Now	Buy Now
ESP8266	Buy Now	Buy Now
DS18B20 Temperature Sensor	Buy Now	Buy Now

Arduino Uno

Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P. It has 14 digital input/output pins, 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz quartz crystal, a USB connection, and a power jack. In this project, the Arduino reads analog values from the voltage sensor and ACS712 current sensor, processes the data, and calculates power output (P = V × I). It communicates with the ESP8266 WiFi module via serial to transmit data to the cloud.

ACS712 Current Sensor

The ACS712 is a Hall-effect based linear current sensor that provides precise current measurement for both AC and DC signals. It comes in 5A, 20A, and 30A variants. The output voltage is proportional to the current flowing through the conduction path. At zero current, the output is VCC/2 (typically 2.5V), and it increases or decreases linearly with current direction and magnitude. This makes it ideal for measuring solar panel output current with high accuracy.

ESP8266 WiFi Module

The ESP8266 WiFi module provides wireless connectivity to the monitoring system. It connects to the Arduino via serial communication (TX/RX) and transmits sensor data to cloud platforms like ThingSpeak or Blynk. The module supports 802.11 b/g/n WiFi standards and can operate as both a station and access point. It enables real-time remote monitoring of solar panel performance from anywhere with an internet connection.

Circuit Diagram

Working Principle

The solar power monitoring system continuously measures key performance parameters of the solar panel. A voltage divider-based voltage sensor module measures the panel output voltage. An ACS712 Hall-effect current sensor measures the load current. The Arduino reads these analog values, converts them to actual voltage and current using calibration factors, and calculates the instantaneous power output (Watts). A DS18B20 digital temperature sensor monitors the panel surface temperature, which significantly affects solar panel efficiency. All parameters are displayed on an LCD locally and transmitted via ESP8266 to a cloud IoT platform. The cloud dashboard shows real-time gauges, power generation graphs, daily energy yield, and historical trends. This data helps in detecting panel degradation, soiling, shading issues, and optimizing panel orientation for maximum energy harvest.