IoT for Solar Cells
Interest in solar energy has shifted. Whereas it used to be solely about generating kilowatt-hours for personal use, the focus today is increasingly on smart control and the sale of so-called ancillary services to the power grid. The market for frequency regulation is growing explosively. But participating in that market requires more than just panels on the roof.
It requires a connection that is as reliable as the rising sun. Many property owners and farmers make the mistake of connecting their inverters to their existing Wi-Fi. It’s a solution that works for hobbyists, but risks costing professional producers a significant amount of money in lost revenue.
Support services require milliseconds
Selling support services means that your facility helps Svenska Kraftnät maintain balance in the electricity grid. This happens automatically, but the response time requirements are extremely strict. If your Wi-Fi connection falters or the router in your office restarts, you lose contact. Then you cannot deliver the service and you lose out on compensation.
With Advisera's industrial IoT SIM, you eliminate that risk. Our cards connect the inverter and battery storage directly to the mobile network, completely independently of the property's local network. This provides the low latency and high availability required to become a certified provider of support services.
Full control with Cisco IoT Control Center
Do you have a solar park or panels on several different properties? Then you know the challenge of keeping track of operational status. Through our platform, Cisco IoT Control Center, you get a comprehensive overview of the connectivity for all your facilities. We democratize technology so that even if you have five facilities, you get the same tools as the big energy companies.
- Real-time monitoring: See immediately if a facility loses contact with the grid.
- Security: Solar installations are critical infrastructure. We offer private networks (VPN) that make your inverters invisible to hackers on the open internet.
- Cost control: Set limits for data traffic so you're never surprised by high costs if a device starts downloading heavy updates incorrectly.
Roaming for maximum uptime
Solar cells are often placed on roofs or fields where coverage can vary. A standard mobile subscription is locked to one operator. Our IoT cards are operator-independent. This means that the SIM card in your inverter automatically selects the mast that provides the strongest signal, regardless of whether it is Telia, Tele2, Telenor, or Tre. This is your insurance against network outages.
Frequently asked questions about connected solar cells (FAQ)
Why shouldn't I use Wi-Fi for the inverter?
Wi-Fi often has range issues and depends on a local router that can malfunction. In the event of a power outage, Wi-Fi usually dies immediately. A mobile 4G solution is more robust and completely separate from other IT equipment.
Do your SIM cards work with my battery storage?
Yes, our IoT SIMs comply with the M2M (Machine-to-Machine) standard and work with virtually all hardware that supports mobile connectivity, including battery management systems from manufacturers such as Ferroamp, Huawei, and Sungrow.
Is it difficult to install?
No. The cards are delivered activated and ready to use. You insert them into your dongle or router, and then the device appears in the Cisco portal, where you get a complete overview.