MS-80SH-Plus+ Solar Monitoring Station

MS-80SH Plus+ Solar Monitoring Station

High-Accuracy GHI, DHI and DNI Measurement for PV and Solar Energy Applications

The EKO MS-80SH Plus+ is a high-precision solar monitoring station designed to measure Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI) and Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) using a single, high-performance sensor.

At the core of the system is the EKO MS-80SH Pyranometer, classified according to ISO 9060:2018 as Class A, Spectrally Flat and Fast Response. The sensor incorporates integrated dome heating to help maintain reliable measurement performance under challenging environmental conditions.

Combined with the RSB-02 Rotating Shadow Band, the system periodically shades and exposes the stationary pyranometer, allowing accurate determination of the three main solar irradiance components without requiring a conventional sun tracker.

Accurate Solar Irradiance Monitoring with a Single Sensor

Operating in Rotating Shadow Band (RSB) mode, the motorised band automatically rotates around the MS-80SH pyranometer to alternate between shaded and unshaded measurement conditions. This enables the system to calculate:

• GHI – Global Horizontal Irradiance
• DHI – Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance
• DNI – Direct Normal Irradiance

The fast-response, spectrally flat thermopile technology of the MS-80SH provides stable and accurate irradiance measurements, even under rapidly changing sky conditions or variable solar spectra.

Cost-Effective Alternative to Sun-Tracker-Based Systems

The MS-80SH Plus+ offers a compact, autonomous and low-maintenance alternative to larger solar monitoring stations based on mechanical sun trackers.

Its practical design makes it particularly suitable for:

• Photovoltaic power plant monitoring
• Solar resource assessment
• Meteorological measurement stations
• Bifacial PV system evaluation
• Research and environmental monitoring applications
• Utility-scale and distributed PV installations

The system can be easily deployed across a wide range of solar power plant locations, helping reduce installation complexity, calibration effort and long-term operating costs.

Enhanced Diffuse Irradiance Measurement with Tracking Shadow Band Mode

For applications requiring particularly accurate diffuse irradiance measurements, the MS-80SH Plus+ includes an additional Tracking Shadow Band (TSB) mode.

In TSB mode, the shadow band actively follows the position of the sun, maintaining continuous shading of the pyranometer to provide accurate and stable DHI measurements.

The integrated C-Box control unit uses GPS positioning to determine the solar position precisely and automatically adjust the rotating shadow band accordingly.

This operating mode is especially valuable for:

• Monitoring of bifacial photovoltaic systems
• High-accuracy diffuse irradiance measurement
• Solar performance assessment
• Monitoring installations designed in accordance with IEC 61724-1 Class A requirements

Simplified Calibration and Reduced Measurement Uncertainty

The use of an ISO 9060:2018 Class A pyranometer facilitates calibration procedures in accordance with ISO 9847, helping to reduce calibration uncertainties, maintenance effort and associated operating costs.

For advanced monitoring configurations, the MS-80SH Plus+ can be combined with an additional pyranometer to determine further parameters, including:

• Ground-reflected irradiance
• Surface albedo
• Irradiance conditions relevant to bifacial PV module performance

Communication and Data Acquisition

The system includes an RS-485 Modbus RTU output, enabling straightforward integration with:

• Dataloggers
• SCADA systems
• Industrial monitoring platforms
• Solar plant control and supervision systems

Through this communication interface, the system can transmit irradiance measurements together with sensor status and diagnostic information.

For configuration, communication and data acquisition, EKO also provides Obi, a dedicated Windows software solution designed to complement the MS-80SH Plus+ monitoring system.

Key Advantages

• Measurement of GHI, DHI and DNI with a single pyranometer
• ISO 9060:2018 Class A, Spectrally Flat and Fast Response performance
• Integrated dome heating for reliable outdoor operation
• Motorised rotating shadow band system
• Additional TSB mode for high-accuracy diffuse irradiance monitoring
• GPS-based sun position calculation through the C-Box controller
• Suitable for bifacial PV monitoring applications
• Supports monitoring configurations aligned with IEC 61724-1 Class A
• Simplified calibration procedures according to ISO 9847
• RS-485 Modbus RTU output for datalogger and SCADA integration
• Compact, autonomous and low-maintenance design
• Cost-effective alternative to larger sun-tracker-based stations