INSTANT - Nowcast
Nowcasting for large scale PV plants and off-grid sites
For large scale PV plant
Dynamic steering for financial optimization and minimization of grid penalties.
As PV production is variable and directly linked to the available solar resource, it can be subject to sharp drops in production during cloudy periods. In the case of grid penalties, it is essential to predict short-term variations in PV production in order to accurately anticipate the production injected into the grid.
FOR ISOLATED INDUSTRIAL SITES
INSTANT optimizes the incorporation of photovoltaics for self-consumption in isolated industrial sites
Anticipating power drops due to cloud passages above the plant is essential to maximize solar energy penetration while maintaining a stable electrical grid.
Hybridization, which involves mixing energy from a photovoltaic plant (PV) with other sources (generators, batteries, hydrogen, the electrical grid, etc.), poses many technological challenges to ensure a constant and stable electricity supply. SKY, the cloud detection tool through sky observation, anticipates power drops associated with cloud appearances. It optimizes the integration of photovoltaic energy into the grid and the management of storage units, particularly important for isolated industrial sites such as mines or island areas.
From Sky observation to Energy management
HEMISPHERIC SKY OBSERVATION CAMERAS
Real-time cloud formation detection with multiple sky observation cameras
INSTANT offers a unique sky observation technology that detects and captures cloud images from different angles through triangulation.
CalibSun installs a network of several hemispheric cameras at strategic locations in the photovoltaic plant. The cameras capture real-time images of approaching cloud cover.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SIMULATION
3D cloud modeling and real-time simulation of their impact
An innovative algorithm using a geometric approach, statistical learning, and artificial intelligence simulates the speed, altitude, and opacity of cloud formations in real-time by modeling them in 3D.
These data are transmitted to algorithms combining geometric analytics and machine learning capable of determining the speed, altitude, and shape of clouds to simulate shading and deduce the timing and intensity of the photovoltaic energy production drop. The AI also enables real-time processing of hemispheric sky observation images, via a deep neural network, to associate them with a minimum photovoltaic production level.
GRID MANAGEMENT
INSTANT automatically informs the EMS and optimizes grid management for self-consumption
The service informs the EMS (energy management system) to activate alternative sources (batteries, generators, etc.) or inform the grid operator with high reliability
INSTANT predicts the decrease or increase in photovoltaic yield minute by minute. The energy management system (EMS) can then send an automatic command or issue an alarm to anticipate the start of alternative sources or the discharge of storage. With up to 30 minutes anticipation of shading on the plant and their consequences on the production drop, INSTANT is used in installations with or without storage.
FAQ
Learn more about INSTANT
What is cloud detection used for?
Why does cloud detection require observation cameras?
How does cloud detection improve the use of solar energy production?