Design and Implementation of SCADA Architecture Based on MATLAB App Designer for a Hybrid Power System

Abstract

Hybrid renewable power systems (HRPS) are now considered reliable solutions for power generation under various conditions. A critical challenge for deploying HRPS involves the design and implementation of an effective supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which is essential for real-time monitoring and control. The SCADA system plays a vital role in remote monitoring and control by enabling real-time data management, early fault detection, and timely troubleshooting. This study presents the design and implementation of a SCADA architecture based on a MATLAB App Designer for an HRPS consisting of wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, diesel generators, and batteries. The system utilizes Arduino Mega 2560 as remote terminal units (RTUs) to interface with actuators and measure critical system parameters such as voltage and current. Arduino boards can be controlled directly from MATLAB^® via the MATLAB^® Support Package for Arduino^® Hardware. A laptop is the main terminal unit (MTU), communicating with the Arduino via the Firmata protocol. MATLAB App Designer is the central monitoring interface, providing real-time data acquisition, processing, and visualization. In addition, a relay module is used to control the operation of the diesel generator. The relay module acts as an intermediary between the control system and the diesel generator, allowing for automated control of the generator's operation. It receives commands from the SCADA system to either start or stop the generator based on the energy demands and the availability of renewable resources. By managing the diesel generator's activity, the relay module helps ensure that the HRPS maintains a balanced and efficient power supply, minimizing reliance on non-renewable sources when renewable energy is sufficient. Based on experimental results, the proposed SCADA system effectively monitors and controls HRPS under different conditions.