Acoem Solar Farm Brochure 20210422

Solar Farm Meteorological (MET) and
Soiling Stations
Aerosol monitoring & atmospheric research
Optimising Power Generation

Resolving Variability in Power Generation
DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE TOUGHEST CONDITIONS
Solar is one of the main sources of renewable energy in Australia today. Acoem
Ecotech has developed a range of meteorological and soiling stations built
exclusively to withstand the harsh weather conditions experienced on Australian
solar farms.
Unpredictability of the power source is a major hurdle when harnessing clean
energy due to its reliance on the elements of nature. Ensuring stability in power
generation is crucial.
Acoem Ecotech Meteorological and Soiling Stations are an essential part of this
process. The stations help monitor weather patterns and solar performance, and
provide accurate data capture, which in turn allows for more consistent power output.
Solar Farm Meteorological (MET) Stations
MONITORING SOLAR EFFICIENCY
MET stations are integral to solar farms and are
required for any utility-scale installation over
5mW. Acoem Ecotech can install various sensors
depending on the site location, panel types used,
individual customer requirements and maintenance
regime. As a minimum, most stations are designed
around the IEC61724-1 standard. Typical parameters
include Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI), Plane of
Array (POA) solar radiation, humidity & temperature,
wind speed, wind direction, back of module
temperature and rainfall. Secondary standard solar
sensors as per ISO 9060 are typically used but may
change according to customer needs.
Each Acoem Ecotech weather station is fitted
with a Campbell Scientific data logger that act
as the brains of the system. The logger measures
sensors, drives direct communication and
telecommunications, analyses data, controls
external devices and stores data and programs.
Acoem Ecotech Solar Meteorological Stations are
designed for our extreme climate. Engineered to last,
they offer an expected lifespan of up to 30 years.
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Why choose an Acoem Ecotech MET Station?
Acoem Ecotech Meteorological Stations
are widely used across Australia, with
70+ operating successfully on solar farms
country-wide. A further 100 have been
deployed overseas.
We have been designing, building and maintaining
these systems for several decades and our extensive
experience in meteorological monitoring has established
us as an industry leader and trusted partner.
We understand that cost is a major factor when it comes
to investing in monitoring equipment for your solar farm.
But that doesn’t mean compromising on quality. Acoem
Ecotech has expert technicians in the field operating and
maintaining our stations. We are committed to ensuring
reliability and integrity while also being maintenance
friendly. When you partner with us, we provide a holistic
service experience, tailor-made to suit your individual
needs.
Figure 1: The Acoem Ecotech Meteorological
Station have built in sensors sourced from
world-leading suppliers
Scope design
and qualification
Station design
and build
Documentation package
(CAD drawings, structural
reports etc)
Installation Commissioning Maintenance NATA calibrations

Solar Farm Soiling Stations
MAXIMISING SOLAR FARM OPERATIONS
One of the other main operational issues affecting the performance of solar farms is
the loss of photovoltaic (PV) module power. This is due to the accumulation of dirt
or soiling on the surface of solar panels.
As a solution, the Acoem Ecotech Soiling Stations can help determine when panels
need cleaning and assist PV plant operators to quantify power loss.
From the I-V curve or short-circuit current and back-of-module temperature, the
effective irradiance of each soiling PV module is calculated in accordance with
IEC 60904 and a soiling loss index is calculated. A daily average soiling loss index
is calculated, available for SCADA and stored in on-board memory. For immediate
feedback, a real-time soiling loss index and quality factor are available.
Designed to be at the heart of an independent soiling measurement station or as an
add-on peripheral to any new or existing weather station.
Together, our Meteorological and Soiling Stations work in harmony to ensure that
your solar farm will operate at its optimum level.
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Optional Solar kit
Power Supply Box
PV Temp sensors
Soiling Station with
CS26 and logger
12VDC
Mains power from PCU
Ref panel
Soiled panel
Ethernet
Figure 2: Generic overview of a soiling station layout
Figure 3: The Acoem Ecotech Soiling Station allows for real-time soiling loss index (SLI) measurement
Industry leading Meteorological Equipment
LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED
• Acoem Ecotech Meteorological and Soiling Stations are developed in accordance with the highest
standards.
• Designed according to Standards Australia requirements
• Can be customised to specified requirements, such as 10m masts, additional sensors or communication
outputs
• Low maintenance requiring minimal intervention & cleaning
• Full solution from design to build, install, commission, calibration & service
• Suitable for variable temperatures & dust conditions
• Complete documentation & drawing packages provided

Acoem Ecotech Meteorological Station Standard BOM
REQUIREMENT OPTIONS
Mast
Data Logger
Wind Speed & Wind Direction
Ambient Temperature with Relative
Humidity
Ambient Temperature
Barometer Pressure
Pyranometer for GHI, POA or
Albedometer
Module Temperature Sensor*
Rain Gauge Sensor
Enclosure for Data Logger, Battery,
Charge Controller, etc.
Battery Backup
10m tilt mast, 5m swivel pole, 3m swivel pole, 3m fixed pole, 2m
fixed pole, custom pole attached to pre-driven pile
Campbell CR1000X, CR6 or CR310
RM Young, MetOne, Gill Windsonic, Lufft all-in-one,
Vaisala all-in-one
Vaisala, Campbell Sci, Lufft all-in-one, Vaisala all-in-one
Temp Controls, Campbell Sci, Campbell Sci, Lufft all-in-one,
Vaisala all-in-one
Omega, MetOne 092, Vaisala PTB110 / Campbell Sci CS106
Kipp & Zonen SMP or CMP, EKO MS8x, Hukseflux SR30/SR20
Campbell Sci 110PV, CS241, CS240, Omega SA1-RTD, Temp
Controls SD125
HyQuest TB3 or TB6, Texas Electronics, Lufft all-in-one,
Vaisala all-in-one
>IP65 Weather protected
12V 12Ah 36Ah battery backup (4hrs to 7 days+)
Additional parameters and options
Transportable tripod Various cable lengths Irradiance cells
Pyranometer ventilation kit &
heater
Sensor surge protection
Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) -
Pyrheliometer
Logger display Optical soiling Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI)
Radio communications Duplicate or redundant sensors PV current or voltage
4G communications Cloud height / coverage Solar power redundancy
The heart of the system
A Campbell Scientific data logger lies at the
heart of every station. Various models can be
used depending on the sensor configuration and
output requirements of the individual site.
With its rich instruction set, the data logger can
measure most meteorological, environmental
and industrial sensors and can connect to the
full suite of solar measurement sensors.
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The multi-purpose measurement and control data logger includes:
• An integrated 10/100 Ethernet port able to be connected to an Ethernet to fibre convertor
• Operations in extreme environments with a range of -40° to +70°C
• Handling inputs from SDI-12, RS-232, and/or RS-485 as well as 4-20mA, voltage or pulse sensors
• 4MB (standard) upgradeable to 16GB for CR6 and CR1000X and 30MB for CR310 models
• Communicates via PakBus, Modbus, DNP3, UDP, TCP and others
Communications
Your station’s data logger is compatible to interface with the site DCS/PCU via the built-in Ethernet port which
can be connected to an Ethernet to fibre converter if required. An optional 4G industrial communication to the
data logger can also be installed. 4G telemetry enables a redundancy to the real-time Modbus output and FTP
in the off chance that SCADA communication is interrupted.
Modbus - MET and Soiling Station data loggers support
Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII and Modbus TCP protocols.
These protocols are often used in Closed SCADA networks.
As standard MET and Soiling Stations will function as
Modbus Masters, pushing data to specific addresses as
allocated by the SCADA.
FTP - Along with Modbus output, FTP protocol can be
enabled on the MET and Soiling stations in addition to the
Modbus transmission to automatically FTP a CSV file of the
daily data at a 24hr interval to a server location supplied.
This enables a redundancy to the realtime Modbus output in
the off chance the SCADA communication is interrupted.
Modbus
SCADA System
Acoem Ecotech Environmental Monitoring
With over 40 years of monitoring design, manufacturing and maintenance expertise, Acoem Ecotech is an
industry leader in environmental monitoring solutions. Each product is developed and adapted to integrate
and take advantage of updates in technology, ensuring that your equipment is always up to date and operates
with maximum efficiency.
At Acoem Ecotech, our aim to shorten the path between monitoring and informed action. As a globally
recognised provider of class-leading multi-parameter environmental monitoring solutions we offer our
customers a complete range of measurement technologies and services.
We empower industries, government, scientists and communities to make knowledgeable decisions based on
our accurate and reliable data. Our holistic solutions lead to operational excellence and better outcomes.
Together, we create environments of possibility.

Acoem Ecotech is a globally recognised and trusted data solution provider,
delivering unrivalled, interoperable AI-powered sensors and ecosystems that
empower our customers to make enlightened decisions based on accurate data.
As leaders in our respective industries, we create environments of possibility
— helping people find the right balance between progress and preservation —
protecting businesses and assets, and maximising opportunities while respecting
the planet’s resources. Together with our 150 distributors, our 800+ employees
work across 17 offices, five manufacturing facilities and three R&D centres in nine
different countries, to provide holistic solutions for customers worldwide.
Acoem Ecotech
1492 Ferntree Gully Road
Knoxfield VIC 3180
Melbourne Australia
+61 3 9730 7800
info.au@acoem.com
acoem.com.au
Specifications subject to change without notice. All images used are for illustrative purposes. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Ecotech, Congrego, Congrego Lite, Airodis, Serinus are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and/or other countries. © 2021 All Rights Reserved. 20210326