Design, Implementation, and Performance Analysis of a Voltage Based Dual-Axis Sun Tracking Solar Panel System using Arduino – Volume 12 Issue 5

The escalating global energy demand, coupled with the adverse environmental impacts of fossil fuels, has intensified the search for clean and sustainable energy alternatives. Solar energy, being abundant and universally available, stands out as one of the most promising renewable resources. Photovoltaic (PV) technology, which facilitates the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity, is the cornerstone of solar power generation. The fundamental principle of a PV cell involves the photoelectric effect, where photons from sunlight strike a semiconductor material (typically silicon), liberating electrons and thereby generating a direct current (DC) and a corresponding voltage. The power output (P) of a solar panel is a product of its output voltage (V) and current (I), and is directly proportional to the intensity of the solar irradiance it receives. For a flat-panel collector, the received irradiance is maximized when the surface is perfectly normal (perpendicular) to the incoming solar rays. However, due to the Earth’s rotation and its orbit around the sun, the sun’s apparent position in the sky is in constant motion. A conventional solar panel, installed at a fixed tilt angle, is only at its peak efficiency for a very brief window during the day. At all other times, the oblique angle of incidence results in significant cosine losses, reducing the effective capture area and diminishing the overall energy yield. To mitigate this inherent limitation, solar tracking systems are employed. These systems dynamically reorient the PV panel to follow the sun’s trajectory, thereby maximizing the incident radiation and significantly boosting the total energy harvested.

This research successfully designed, implemented, and validated a low-cost, dual-axis solar tracking system based on the Arduino platform. The control system, which operates on differential voltage signals from an LDR array, proved to be both reliable and accurate. The comparative analysis demonstrated a substantial increase in energy capture, with an average daily gain of 38.5% over a conventional fixed-tilt panel. This project underscores the significant potential of applying simple, intelligent control systems to enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic installations. The accessibility and affordability of the components used make this system an excellent solution for small-scale, off-grid applications and a valuable educational tool for renewable energy studies.

1.Alexandru, C. (2010). A new type of bi-axial solar tracker. In Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS/IASME International Conference on Educational Technologies. 2.Banerjee, A. (2015). Arduino-based Solar Tracking System. International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), Vol. 4 Issue 05. 3.Kacira, M., Simsek, M., & Babur, Y. (2004). Determining optimum tilt angles and orientations of photovoltaic panels in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Renewable Energy, 29(8), 12651275. 4.Poulek, V., & Libra, M. (2000). New solar trackers. In Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference and Exhibition on Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion. Roth, P., Georgiev, A., & Boudinov, H. (2004). Design and construction of a system for sun-tracking. Renewable Energy, 29(3), 393-402.

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