Current status of photovoltaic plants in Mexico – An analysis based on online monitoring

• Published in: Energy for sustainable development 2020-08, Vol.57, p.48-56
• Main Authors: Weber, Bernd, Magaña-López, Rafael, Martínez Cienfuegos, Iván G., Durán-García, Ma. Dolores, Stadlbauer, Ernst A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: PV Benchmarking; PV data mining; PV production
• ISSN: 0973-0826
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esd.2020.05.003

Solar inverter providers optionally offer plant operators online access to their installed photovoltaic (PV) systems. Benefits consist of better system monitoring, faster response to maintenance needs, and a more comfortable data acquisition. Data mining from an online database enables a comparative statistical analysis for a large number of plants about specific productivity parameters, emission reductions and monetary savings. Restriction of information usually confines the progress of PV systems. Due to this situation, the Sunnyportal website managed by one of the most important world provider of solar inverters does not delimit the visualization of their own systems. In addition, there is unrestricted access to their available plants in cases where the owners set the status of their plants as “public”. This study gathered and analyzed information on photovoltaic installations in Mexico with free access to production data. The results show an increase of almost 700% in the number of registered plants in Mexico with exponential growth since 2012. Mexico still shows a lack of studies regarding the monitoring of PV systems because available data are scarce. The specific productivity rate of the PV systems primarily depends on solar irradiation on-site, weather conditions, air contamination, the technology employed, correct engineering and plant maintenance. Based on data obtained, conclusions are drawn concerning preferences and performance of Mexican PV plants. The most both surprising as well as important result is that there is no correlation between specific productivity and average daily on-site irradiation. •PV systems in Mexico generate in the range between 90 and 125 kWh kW−1 month−1.•Specific production of PV plants in Mexico is less than the projected production.•Solar irradiation is overestimated in comparison to other factors.•Only a slight increase in productivity with increasing irradiation is observed.