Solar Grid Inverter Monitoring System - Part 2

The second part of this project requires the RS232 to be signalling at a longer distance than the usual fifteen metre limitations.

To overcome this distance limitation and maintain reliability of the serial network, we use of a special telecommunication device called a RS232 extender. 


The RS232 Extender

The Gefen RS232 extenders will be used to extend the RS232 connection from the Fronius IG grid inverters to the remote location, with over one hundred feet of Cat5e cable.

The Gefen RS232 extenders will perfectly reproduce all 9 pins from one end to the other and have the ability to provide power over Ethernet to the second extender, saving on extra cables and power supplies.

The extender units act as a sender and receiver pair on the RS232 network. Allowing the grid inverter's data logger to send Windows computer information to the Fronius access software.

The RS232 extender sender unit connects to Fronius IG grid inverter at one end and the RS232 extender receiver at the computer terminal at the other end.

Then the Cat5e cable connects the send and receive extender units, over 300 metres away. The sender unit is powered by a 5 volt power supply, which will also power the receiver via the Cat5e cable.


The Fronius IG Access Software

The free Fronius Solar access software is available for download from their corporate website at http://www.fronius.com. The software provides advanced onsite data analysis and archiving options for the PC. As an administrative tool, it offers full setup options for all system components in Solar Net.

The software is easy to install on the Windows system, with a helpful installer wizard.

Once installed, the software is located in the programs section of the windows start menu.

The Fronius access software splash screen displays the general energy output information for the photovoltaic solar power system.

Under the administration menu, the new PV system can be added and configured for the RS232 connection back to the grid inverter's data logger.

In the next part of this series, I will be looking at connecting the monitoring software and data logger to collect information from the school's solar power system, and explaining the features and advantages that computerised power monitoring can have for an organisation.


Other PV Solar Powered Systems and Concepts

A PV solar power system has many other applications apart from grid power installations. One example is NASA's Helios aircraft, remotely piloted to fly at high altitudes.

The electrically powered Helios is constructed mostly of composite materials such as carbon fibre, graphite epoxy, Kevlar, styrofoam, and a thin, transparent plastic skin.

The main tubular wing spar is made of carbon fibre. The spar, which is thicker on the top and bottom to absorb the constant bending motions that occur during flight, is also wrapped with Nomex and Kevlar for additional strength.

The wing ribs are made of epoxy and carbon fibre. Shaped styrofoam is used for the wing's leading edge and a durable clear plastic film covers the entire wing.

The Helios collects a variety of information in the atmosphere, and runs mainly on solar power.

On August 14, 2001, the Helios Prototype, piloted remotely by Greg Kendall, reached an altitude of 96,863 feet, a world record for sustained horizontal flight by a winged aircraft.

The altitude was more than 11,000 feet or more than 2 miles (3.2 km) above the previous record for sustained flight by a winged aircraft. In addition, the aircraft spent more than 40 minutes above 96,000 feet.

Tragically the Helios crashed over the Pacific Ocean on 26 June 2003.

Solar Activity and the Risks to Modern Technology

In the middle of our solar system sits a incredibly large nuclear reaction held together by an enormous gravity pull. Many millions of times the mass of the earth, this star emits solar weather that stretches out past the orbit of Pluto. As with weather on earth, the sun's weather can form destructive storms that stretch out from the sun's surface onto the Earth and further into the solar system.

These solar storms are full of particles (protons, electrons, and plasma), radio waves, x-rays and other forms of energy that come from nuclear reactions.

When these storms reach Earth, they can having varying effects on our planet.


What does this have to do with Technology?

Most technology systems, with the exception of the military and some corporate technology, have no built-in resistance to the effects of extreme solar storms.

This means that most of our electronic devices, electric motors and power systems are very vulnerable to solar activity, which may render the devices partially or totally inoperable.


Why Should we be Worried About the Effect on Everyday Technology?

On September 1–2, 1859, the largest recorded geomagnetic storm occurred. Aurorae were seen around the world, most notably over the Caribbean; also noteworthy were those over the Rocky Mountains that were so bright, the glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning. Telegraph systems all over Europe and North America failed.Telegraph pylons threw sparks and telegraph paper spontaneously caught fire.

Some telegraph systems appeared to continue to send and receive messages despite having been disconnected from their power supplies.

This storm was called the Carrington Event and similar strength storms reach the earth every few hundred years.

A storm like the Carrington Event today would cause most of our modern technology to fail within hours. There would be significant electronic damage, power failures, global financial confusion, and disruption to transport and communications.

Without active help and intervention, areas of the earth could experience famines, civil unrest, and wars.



Recent Solar Storms and Increasing Activity Causing Increased Risk

On the 3-5th of August, we had a geomagnetic storm interact with the Earth, causing a G3 storm event to our magnetosphere.

This storm was impressive, but lucky not a threat to most communication and power systems. However, it posed large issues for satellite operators and space operations.



G3 Solar Storm Effects:

Power systems:  voltage corrections may be required, false alarms triggered on some protection devices. Spacecraft operations: surface charging may occur on satellite components, drag may increase on low-Earth-orbit satellites, and corrections may be needed for orientation problems. Other systems: intermittent satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems may occur, HF radio may be intermittent, and aurora has been seen as low as Illinois and Oregon.

All the definition for the scales of geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, and radio blackouts levels are located at the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) website. http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/index.html

NOAA also has a website devoted to monitoring solar storm activity and contains other excellent information on solar activity. http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

This current solar cycle is showing signs of the beginning of a very active period for solar storms and risks to the earth.

This cycle will continue to increase in activity for several years before subsiding into a calmer part of the cycle.


What to do About the Risks of a Solar Storm?

The issue needs to be treated like an natural event, similar to earthquake risks. As with earthquakes on Earth, we have built better buildings, invest in detection and prediction, educating people and designing government polices to deal with such a disaster.

Just with earthquake risk management, solar storms need to be addressed to minimise the harm to our way of life.

Possible improvements to solar flare storm risks:

• More EM shielding in electronics devices
• Better designed power systems and grids.
• Better warning and forecast of solar storms
• Understand the sun and it's dynamics better.
• Education of people on the topic in a meaningful way.
• Government polices on the issue, risks and reactions to events.

Through education of the public, better understanding of the sun and laws requiring built-in protection for important devices and systems, the world can become resistant to this type of event.

We may never be able to remove the risk of solar storms, but we can minimise its harm to our technology driven world.

New Section in Scribd and the Natural Revolution

A new section in Scribd.com has been added to the Burning the Midnight profile.

Two articles have been uploaded to the Technology and Business collection for the new section.

• Technology, Natural Capital and and the Natural Revolution Slides  
• Innovation of Technology in Business Slides

 
Here is an embedded slide-show on Natural Capitalism and Revolution from the Burning the Midnight Scribd profile.





Watch the profile http://www.scribd.com/burningthemidnight for recent publications from Burning the Midnight, and further insights and information on technology, business, economy, security and environmental topics.

Technology, Natural Capital and The Natural Revolution

Technology and business have always coexisted in history, with new industries and business concepts connecting with technology and offering beneficial outcomes and new markets. Examples of this in today's business world include the development of the Internet Web 2.0, mass production and international airline carriers. Today, another new market is emerging around the world, called natural capital. It is beginning to pervade the investing landscape with serious talk of climate change business opportunities and ecological responsibilities.

What is Natural Capital?

In economics, capital and capital goods are factors of production used to create goods or services that are not themselves significantly consumed (though they may depreciate) in the production process.

Natural capital is the extension of the economic notion of capital to goods and services relating to the natural environment.

Natural capital is the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable goods or services into the future.


The main resources of the natural capital market in the 21st century are:

• Energy (electricity, fuel)
• Water (clean, grey, waste)
• Waste (sewage, carbon, uranium)
• Recycleable Non Durable Consumption (Paper, ink, light bulbs) 
• Recycleable Durable Consumption (maintenance, repairs)
• Recycleable Human Consumption (packing, food, products)

The combination of technology and natural capital provides the ground work for a new type of economic revolution that will surpass the industrial revolution. Technology is the state of the art of the whole field of practical know-how and tool use. It therefore encompasses all that can be said about arts, crafts, professions, applied sciences, and skills. The natural revolution is coming because the world's industrial technologies are beginning to become unprofitable or inefficient, due to constaints on resources and markets that are caused by environmental and social issues.

The next part looks at the key concepts in the natural revolution and definitions of the ideology.

It compares the ideas of the last 200 years of the industrial revolution to the demands of the evolving natural revolution of the 21st century.

 
Industrial Revolution - the revolution the world needed

The Industrial Revolution was a period in the 18th and 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport had a profound effect on the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the world.

The onset of the Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in human history; almost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced in some way.

Main points of the Industrial Revolution: Increased worker productivity output by 100 fold. Created conditions for a consumerist society. Natural resources were plentiful. (Natural capital) Productivity was measured in part by how many boats you had for fishing; or how many chainsaws you owned for forestry. Human resource capital became a less important part of profits. (e.g. the end of slavery) Technology was a significant factor in the industrial revolution.

Natural Revolution - the revolution the world needs now

The Natural Revolution refers to a hypothetical series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, to improve the industrialised or technology driven natural capital production of the world.

The initiatives involved in the development of the Natural Revolution include carbon reduction, waste recycling , and efficient farming practices, to name a few.

Main points of the Natural Revolution: 

• Natural resource productivity will increase by a 100 fold.
• A continuation of a consumerist ideas.
• Natural resources not limitless. (Natural Capital)
• Productivity is now measured by how many fish you have in the sea, not how many boats, and how many trees are in a forest, not how many chainsaws you have.
• Natural capital use must become more efficient (e.g. oil, fresh water, and soil).
• Technology will be a large influence in the natural revolution.

What does this mean for Individuals and Organisations?

For individuals and organisations to adjust to the changing environmental and public concerns, there will be legal requirements and operational efficiency improvements.

Natural Capitalism and technology innovation offers a logical way for people and organisation to reorganise and adapt to these new economic and social changes in our modern society.

A good example of an emerging Natural Capitalist economy and country is the Maldives, where President Mohamed Nasheed is championing climate change awareness, carbon trading and environmental harm minimisation. 

With regard to the threat posed to the very low-lying islands by changes in sea level caused by global warming, in March 2009, President Nasheed pledged to set an example by making the Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade by moving to wind and solar power.

He argued that the cost of the change would be no higher than what the Maldives already spends on energy.

As part of a wider campaign by international environmental NGO 350.org's campaign publicising the threats from climate change and its effects on the Maldives, Nasheed presided over the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting on 17 October 2009, off the island of Girifushi with his ministers meeting underwater in scuba diving gear.

The end result of applying innovative technology and natural capitalism to the world will be the start of the Natural Revolution. The Maldives and other smart countries are moving ahead of the environmental curve and applying natural capital ideas to develop their countries.

Saving on natural capital is good for your organisations' mid and long-term bottom lines. The sooner your organisation starts thinking about natural capital, the less painful it will be in the future. This will be eventually mandated by governments. (carbon trading, environmental laws etc.) Natural capital will become increasing expensive in the future, due to scarcity, environmental impacts and increased population. Technology will play a large influence in the natural revolution.

Individuals, business and organisations have to change the way they operate and by increasing their efficiency with the natural capitalism ideology.

Combining technology and natural capitalism is the best way to accomplish this for a green planet and to kick start the global natural revolution.