FPGA-based real-time solar radiation estimation with low-cost sensors

Abstract

In this work, a solar radiation sensing and measurement system implemented in an FPGA is developed to graphically display in a visual application the sensed parameters sensing solar radiation in real time. The system is described in VHDL using TSL2591 and INA260 sensors to capture solar radiation data. The sensors communicate with the FPGA using the I2 C protocol and the FPGA communicates with a Host using the RS232 serial protocol. The visual application controls and monitors the data captured by the sensors. The system measures solar irradiance and illuminance. In order to determine that the results are correct, they were compared with those obtained by two other different systems. One system is implemented in an "Arduino Uno" MCU, and the other belongs to "INIFAP", presenting similar results in both cases. The INIFAP system uses a pyranometer with an energy transformation efficiency of 99% compared to 17% of the PV cell used in this work, calculating the efficiencies both systems are compared obtaining similar values with a difference of ±0.5%. Achieving the development of a low cost sensing system.