Challenge

Provide an alternative source of power in lieu of the high cost and non-feasibility of commercial power installation for the remote locations along the river.

Solution

Customized solution of power system components to meet existing infrastructure site constraints
SunWize worked with their customer, SEC Automation, to provide power in remote sites for dissolved oxygen (D.O.) monitoring sites at two hydro plants for the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. SunWize engineered solar electric systems operate integrated units of spread spectrum radios and D.O. analyzers. Both aquatic plants and animals depend on dissolved oxygen for survival. Measuring dissolved oxygen determines the suitability of a stream for fish and other aquatic organisms.

Design summaries, created by SunWize, assisted SEC with the building and configuration of the solar powered D.O./radio control systems. Two separate systems consisting of two solar powered remote radios, D.O. analyzers and a master ModBus radio were installed at key locations along the river. The analog signal outputs of D.O. analyzers are wired directly into RTU/radios. The remote radio units transmit the signals to a central ModBus gateway radio which interfaces with an existing SCADA system to monitor and provide historical trends of the collected data. The result was a significant cost savings and reliable remote power solution for the customer.