A solar panel monitoring system for a potential Danish fictitious company "Ejby Maskinfabrik"
5 People
7 Weeks, Spring 2023
Research, Java Programming, Financial Calculations, Contacting students that work with solar panels, Video Recording
IntelliJ, DataGrip, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Video Recorder
Ejby Maskinfabrik, a Danish company, is considering solar panels to enhance its corporate social responsibility (CSR) profile. They're seeking a solution for one of their production sites to generate hot water for half their employees and electricity for the rest of the roof area. The company has requested for the developmnet of a software solution from engineering students (our team) that can monitor the performance of both thermal and electric solar panels.
"How to develop a custom piece of software to monitor the overall output and performance of thermal and electrical solar panels and how to assess the profitability and risks connected to the investment in solar panels?"
PostgreSQL was used for the database of our project to store information about the panels, errors in the panels, and their output (electricity or heat generated). This SQL database was chosen for its reliability and compliance, as well as the possibility to structure data accordingly. The use of PostgreSQL allows for efficient data management and retrieval, ensuring that all panel-related data is easily accessible and up-to-date. This facilitates the monitoring and maintenance of the solar panel systems, contributing to their optimal performance and longevity.
The software built by our group for Ejby Maskinfabrik aims to fulfil every digital desire a company would have when deciding to introduce a solar panel system to their premises. Therefore, the interface of the program is simple and easy to use. The data manipulation is very simplified, and everything is stored in the fast online database which secures that the data will not be lost in some cases of natural disaster.
Financial calculations and accounting were another big part of the project. Here we had to make estimates
on how much the installation of the panels covering the whole roof of the Ejby Maskinfabrik's building
would cost. The calculations included: Cost Breakdown, Energy Cost Savings, Cash flow Over Lifespan,
Profitability, and Risk Analysis.
Overall, the financial study emphasizes the potential cost reductions and longterm
financial viability of installing a solar panel system at Ejby Maskinfabrik. The
organization can realize considerable long-term cost savings while contributing to
environmental sustainability by harnessing renewable energy sources and lowering
dependency on traditional energy sources.
The conducted analysis reveals that while installation requires a significant initial investment, the energy cost savings calculations show potential financial benefits. The software solution proposed monitors the maintenance and faults of the solar panels, providing a historical table with data about energy generation and consumption. The software can be customized to meet the company's needs, with some tables auto-updated and others manually updated. This solution contributes to the company's long-term financial viability and environmental sustainability.