Control of Solar Energy Systems

This review deals with the control of parabolic trough collector (PTC) solar power plants. After a brief introduction, we present a description of PTC plants. We then provide a short literature review and describe some of our experiences. We also describe new control trends in PTC plants. Recent research has focused on ( a) new control methods using mobile sensors mounted on drones and unmanned ground vehicles as an integral part of the control systems; ( b) spatially distributed solar irradiance estimation methods using a variable fleet of sensors mounted on drones and unmanned ground vehicles; ( c) strategies to achieve thermal balance in large-scale fields; ( d) new model predictive control algorithms using mobile solar sensor estimates and predictions for safer and more efficient plant operation, which allow the effective integration of solar energy and combine coalitional and artificial intelligence techniques; and ( e) fault detection and diagnosis methods to ensure safe operation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Control, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems, Volume 7 is May 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.