Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions at Intersolar 2019 Munich

The Gantner hardware portfolio includes string monitoring devices, DC and AC combiner boxes, weather stations, power quality meters, data loggers and the power plant controller “Q.reader”.

Q.reader is a datalogger which performs the logging and control of all required PV plant information: string level current and voltage, inverter data, batterie (BESS), meteorological data, grid measurements and other state variables (e.g. switch gear and transformer status). Simultaneously it acts as power plant controller for the grid quality. Its accurate data acquisition is based on the industry leading technology of the Gantner Instruments Group. The Gantner Instruments Group offers high-speed (100,000 samples/second), high-accuracy data acquisition products required in today’s demanding environments. The products exhibit the highest in performance and flexibility yet remain simple to operate and easy to understand even in the most complex applications.

The well-engineered hardware that has been optimized for each application is a reliable basis for further analysis of the gathered data.

The base tool for data analysis is “Gantner.webportal”, an independent real-time analysis platform for data acquisition, data storage and control of PV Power Plants. It is a cloud-based “Software as a Service” (SaaS) solution. Gantner’s goal is to provide an innovative performance monitoring system to detect performance losses, failures and degradation mechanisms at an early stage, which will significantly improve and ensure quality of operation of grid-connected PV systems in order to fulfil and guarantee owner/investor expectations.

A challenge is to handle the big data accumulating over a period of years or even decades and keep it available on a 24/7 basis.

The massive amount of data can be seen at the recent 230 MW Benban project. The data logger acquires 70,000 measured channels. “Gantner.webportal” adds another 140,000 arithmetic channels. This includes standard arithmetic functions like Performance Ratio on every level, variance and normalization. Over 20 years the data volume sums up to 8 TB at 1 min data resolution.

To meet this challenge Gantner turned to a combination of Apache Kafka (data streaming) and CrateDB (distributed SQL database built for IoT/industrial use cases). The company uses CrateDB for real-time hot storage and Kafka for cheaper, file-based storage. Open interfaces (APIs) complete our system and enable interaction with external systems and integration into company wide data warehouses.

To turn measured data into valuable information we are using state-of-the-art technologies such as machine learning, neuronal networks and genetic algorithms.

Products at our booth

• Q.reader data logger and Power Plant Controller PPC – certified according to VDE-AR-N 4110 and VDE-AR-N 4120 (“Zertifizierter EZA Parkregler”)
• string monitoring devices string.bloxx used in DC Combiner boxes designed for application in challenging climatic conditions fulfilling the most demanding international standards
• RF.bloxx 101, wireless RS 485 module
• AC Combiner boxes provide the optimal interface between inverter and grid in decentralized energy generation plants
• Meteo stations monitoring of data such as solar irradiance, ambient temperature, module surface temperature and wind parameters according to IEC 61853 standard
• Gantner.RAS remote access service for global fleet management of onsite DAQ devices
• Gantner.webportal independent real-time analysis platform for data acquisition, data storage and control of PV Power Plants. It is a cloud-based “Software as a Service” (SaaS) solution.

Gantner has references in 34 countries, for example well-known projects like Benban/Egypt (230 MW) and the largest Solar Power Plant in Central Asia in Kazakhstan (100 MW) were equipped with our complete monitoring and control solution. In the last couple of month Gantner Instruments Environment Solutions was chosen as supplier for complete monitoring solutions in reputable projects in Belarus (130MW), in Kazakhstan (50MW) and for five projects in Ukraine (total >50MW) as well as supplier for several large projects in Australia.