INTEGRATED SOLAR BASED INTELLIGENT LOAD

MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEM

D Sunitha1, M Jagan2, R Madhan3, S Santhosh Kumar4, K A Udhaya Kumar5
1
Assistant Professor, Dept of Electrical and Electronics, Velammal Engineering
College,Chennai, Tamil Nadu

[email protected] 1
2345
Student, Dept of Electrical and Electronics, Velammal Engineering
College,Chennai, Tamil Nadu

[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected] , [email protected]
4

Abstract: This project aims to design a system that maximizes solar

energy utilization while ensuring efficient power distribution and
maintaining optimal lighting levels for specific tasks. The system
intelligently monitors electrical loads based on real-time solar energy
generation, battery voltage, and user preferences, dynamically
controlling lighting to ensure the required lux levels are maintained for
critical activities like reading or precision work. When the battery
voltage drops below a safe threshold, it automatically switches to grid
power to guarantee uninterrupted operation. With real-time monitoring,
users gain insights into energy flow, consumption, and lighting
conditions, all remotely controllable via IoT platforms. This intelligent
load management enhances energy efficiency, ensuring that adequate
lighting is always provided for important tasks while reducing reliance
on grid power. Its ability to maintain continuous power and precise
lighting control makes it ideal for residential, commercial, and
industrial applications where both energy efficiency and task-specific
lighting are crucial.

Keywords: Solar Energy Management, Intelligent Load Control, Renewable

Energy Optimization.
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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Growth of Solar Power and Its Importance in Energy Sustainability

Solar energy has rapidly grown as a key renewable resource due to its environmental
benefits and cost-effectiveness. It plays a crucial role in reducing reliance on fossil fuels and
lowering carbon emissions. Solar power is clean, abundant, and widely adopted across
residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. However, efficient energy management is
essential to maximize its benefits, as solar power is intermittent and energy storage is often
limited. Intelligent systems are needed to optimize solar power usage and reduce dependence
on the grid during low-generation periods.

1.2 Challenges in Energy Management with Solar Power

Despite its advantages, solar energy systems face several challenges:

Intermittency: Solar generation fluctuates based on weather and time of day, creating supply
gaps.
Limited Storage: Battery capacity is costly and finite, making it difficult to store excess
energy efficiently.
Load Management: Without intelligent systems, energy distribution can be inefficient,
leading to waste and reliance on grid power.
Grid Integration: Seamless switching between solar and grid power is necessary to ensure
continuous energy supply.

1.3 Objectives of the System

The Integrated Solar-Based Intelligent Load Management and Monitoring System is

developed to tackle the challenges of solar energy utilization through a set of focused
objectives aimed at improving energy efficiency and reliability. The primary
objectives are: optimizing solar energy usage, ensuring effective load management,
and enabling automatic switching between solar and grid power.
Overall, these objectives aim to create a robust and intelligent system that effectively
integrates solar energy into daily operations, promoting energy efficiency, cost
savings, and sustainability.
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1. SYSTEMS ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

2.1 Block Diagram

Fig 1. Block Diagram of the system

2.2 Key Components

This comprises several essential components that work together to optimize solar
energy utilization and ensure reliable power supply.

Solar Panels and Energy Generation: At the heart of the system are high-
efficiency solar panels that capture sunlight and convert it into electricity. These
panels are designed to maximize energy generation, even under varying
environmental conditions. The system monitors the amount of energy consumed in
real-time, allowing it to make informed decisions regarding load management and
energy distribution.
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Battery Storage System: The battery storage system plays a critical role in storing
excess energy generated during peak sunlight hours. By capturing this surplus
energy, the system ensures that power is available for use during periods of low solar
generation, such as at night or during cloudy weather. Advanced battery management
technology is employed to optimize charging and discharging cycles, prolonging
battery life and maintaining system efficiency.

Intelligent Load Controller: This component manages the distribution of

electricity to various connected loads based on real-time energy availability and user-
defined priorities. The intelligent load controller continuously assesses the power
demand of each load and automatically adjusts supply to ensure that essential devices
receive priority while non-critical loads are shed during low energy availability. This
dynamic load management maximizes energy efficiency and prevents system
overloads.

Power Switching Mechanism (Solar to EB): The power switching mechanism

allows for seamless transitions between solar power and grid electricity. When the
battery voltage drops below a specified threshold or when solar generation is
insufficient, the system automatically switches to grid power. This ensures
uninterrupted energy supply and minimizes downtime for users. This change over is
done using the relay mechanism.

Sensors: The system is equipped with various sensors that monitor critical
parameters, including lux levels for lighting and battery voltage. Lux sensors ensure
that adequate lighting is maintained for essential tasks, while voltage sensors provide
real-time data on battery health. This feedback enables the system to make intelligent
decisions regarding load management and power sourcing.

ESP-32 Microcontroller:The ESP-32 is a versatile and powerful

microcontroller developed by Espress if Systems, ideal for IoT applications. It
features a dual-core Tensilica Xtensa LX6 processor (up to 240 MHz) and offers Wi-
Fi and Bluetooth (v4.2 and BLE) connectivity, enabling wireless communication in
various projects. The ESP-32 is equipped with numerous GPIO pins for interfacing
with sensors, relays, and other peripherals, supporting PWM, I2C, SPI, UART, and
ADC/DAC operations.

It is designed for real-time control with a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS),

and supports ultra-low power modes, making it perfect for battery-powered
applications.

3. WORKING OF THE SYSTEM

This project operates by efficiently managing solar power, battery storage, load
distribution, and switching between solar and grid power to ensure continuous,
reliable energy supply. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of its working:
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3.1 Solar Energy Generation: Solar panels collect sunlight and convert it into
electricity. This electricity is used to power connected loads or charge the battery
system. The system continuously monitors the energy being produced to ensure it is
optimally utilized.

3.2 Battery Charging and Monitoring: When excess solar energy is available,
it is stored in the battery system. The system constantly monitors the battery voltage
in real time. During peak solar hours, the battery charges, storing energy for later use,
such as at night or when solar power generation is insufficient.
If the battery's charge falls below a preset level, the system prepares to switch to
grid power automatically.

3.3 Automatic Switching Between Solar and Grid Power: When solar energy
is insufficient or the battery voltage drops below a critical threshold, the system
automatically switches to grid electricity to maintain uninterrupted power supply.
Once solar generation resumes and battery levels recover, the system switches back
to solar power, minimizing grid usage.

3.4 Lux Level Maintenance: For tasks requiring specific lighting conditions,
the system includes sensors that monitor lux levels. It adjusts the power to the
lighting system to ensure the required brightness is maintained while optimizing
energy usage.

This intelligent system ensures optimal use of solar power, reduces grid
dependence, and maintains a stable power supply with minimal user intervention.

4. RESULT ANALYSIS

4.1 Energy Efficiency: Optimizes solar energy utilization, leading to a 20-30%

reduction in reliance on grid power.
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Fig 2. Graphical sketch of solar power harnessed

The Fig 2 graphically represents the generation level of the solar panel we use during the
normal and cloudy days. The energy generated during normal days has the peak of 1.25 KW of
power but during normal days it's only 0.75KW. The generation gap or the level is more. This
graph clearly gives us a view about the necessity and level of illumination required for the
required level of generation.

4.2 Battery Life: Prolongs battery lifespan through intelligent charging and
discharging, resulting in a 30-50% increase in effective battery usage.

Fig 3. Efficiency plotted for various types of batteries studied

The graph presents a comparative analysis of the efficiency of various battery
technologies utilized in energy storage applications. Lead-Acid batteries exhibit an
efficiency of 85%, making them a cost-effective choice for basic energy storage
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needs. Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) and Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries display

lower efficiencies of 70%, which can restrict their adoption in high-performance
scenarios. In contrast, Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries, recognized for their efficiency
and longevity, achieve an impressive efficiency of 95%, positioning them as a
preferred option in modern electronics and electric vehicles. Notably, Lithium Iron
Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries lead the spectrum with an exceptional efficiency of
98%, rendering them highly suitable for advanced energy storage solutions, including
renewable energy systems. This efficiency differential underscores the importance of
selecting appropriate battery technologies based on specific application requirements
and performance objectives.

Table 1. Parameters of various types of battery [5]

TYPE LA NiCd NiMH Li-ion NaS

Energy density (Wh 25-50

kg1) 50-60 60-120 75-200 150-240

Power density
75-300 ~200 250-1000 500-2000 150-230
(W kg1)

Cycle life
200-1000 >1500 180-2000 1000-10,000 2500-4000
(100% DOD)

Capital cost
100-300 300-600 900-3500 300-500 150-1000
($/kWh)

Round-trip
75-85 70-75 65-80 85-97 75-90
efficiency

Self discharge low high high - -

The Table 1 compares different battery technologies, highlighting their

characteristics such as energy density, power density, cycle life, cost, efficiency, and
self-discharge. Lead-Acid, NiCd, NiMH, Li-ion, and NaS batteries are evaluated.
Sodium-Sulfur (NaS) batteries have the highest energy density and longest cycle life,
whereas Lithium-ion offers a good balance of high energy density, efficiency, and
relatively low cost. NiCd batteries excel in power density but suffer from high self-
discharge, while Lead-Acid batteries are low-cost but have shorter lifespans.
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4.3 Load Management: Efficiently minimize downtime and ensure continuous

power supply, achieving an operational reliability of 99%

Work Comparison Chart

The radar chart compares the performance of the existing solution and project
across key metrics: energy efficiency, automation, battery utilization, reliability, and
cost efficiency. The project area is larger than the existing solution area, indicating
better performance overall. Our project excels in automation level and battery
utilization, with scores of 80-90%, compared to 40-50% for the existing solution.
This chart highlights how our system improves efficiency and reliability in managing
solar power and battery usage.

Fig4. Comparison of performance metrics of existing and project.

The above chart provide visual comparisons across the key performance metrics
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5. CHALLENGES FACED

➢ Design Complexity: Integrating multiple components (solar panels, batteries,

controllers, and sensors) can complicate the design process.

➢ Technical Hurdles: Difficulties in positioning solar panels for optimal

sunlight exposure and ensuring secure connections for electrical components,
programming the microcontroller (e.g., ESP-32) for real-time monitoring and
control of loads and battery management and ensuring accurate readings from
sensors for voltage, current, and solar generation can be challenging due to
environmental factors.

6. CONCLUSION
The summary of the project highlights its success in optimizing electrical loads,
maintaining ideal lux levels, and maximizing solar energy utilization. By intelligently
switching between solar and grid energy when battery levels are low, the system
ensures continuous operation and reliability, while reducing dependence on the grid.
This results in both cost savings and environmental sustainability, contributing to a
greener future. Looking ahead, the project offers significant potential for future
enhancements, such as integrating with larger grid networks for energy sharing and
demand response strategies. Expanding IoT capabilities would enable more advanced
monitoring and real-time control, while incorporating energy forecasting algorithms
could improve the predictability of solar generation and consumption patterns. These
advancements position the system as a key component in the development of smart,
resilient energy infrastructures.

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