Systems and methods for sensing environmental conditions surrounding photovoltaic systems

A system for diagnosing failure modes of a solar tracker system comprising:

• a plurality of sensors of a solar tracker row, the plurality of sensors configured to measure a plurality of observed waveforms experienced across the solar tracker row corresponding to positional data of the solar tracker row;
• and
• a central computing system configured to:
• identify a baseline waveform, the baseline waveform corresponds to a solar tracker row deflection response to a first weather condition experienced by the solar tracker row, the first weather condition characterized by weather events that cause high-stress within designed limits of the solar tracker system, and wherein the baseline waveform indicates positional data of the solar tracker row;
• receive, from the plurality of sensors, the plurality of observed waveforms, the plurality of observed waveforms correspond to a solar tracker row deflection response to a second weather condition, wherein the second weather condition corresponds to the first weather condition occurring at a subsequent time;
• compare the plurality of observed waveforms to the baseline waveform;
• determine one or more deviations between the plurality of observed waveforms and the baseline waveform based on comparing the plurality of observed waveforms to the baseline waveform;
• detect one or more failure modes of the solar tracker row based on the one or more deviations between the plurality of observed waveforms and the baseline waveform;
• and
• generate a report of the one or more failure modes.

A method for diagnosing failure modes of a solar tracker system, the method comprising:

• identifying, by a server, a first wind velocity experienced by a photovoltaic (PV) panel, the first wind velocity characterized by velocities that cause high-stress within designed limits of the solar tracker system;
• obtaining, by the server, a baseline waveform, the baseline waveform corresponds to a PV panel deflection response to the first wind velocity, and wherein the baseline waveform indicates positional data of the PV panel;
• measuring, by a first sensor of the PV panel, an observed waveform of the PV panel, the observed waveform corresponds to a PV panel deflection response to a second wind velocity, wherein the second wind velocity corresponds to the first wind velocity occurring at a subsequent time, wherein the observed waveform indicates positional data of the PV panel;
• receiving, from the first sensor, the observed waveform at the server;
• comparing, by the server, the observed waveform to the baseline waveform;
• determining a deviation between the observed waveform and the baseline waveform based on comparing the observed waveform to the baseline waveform;
• detecting a failure mode of the PV panel based on the deviation between the observed waveform and the baseline waveform;
• and
• generating a report of the failure mode.