DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MICROCONTROLLER-BASED SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEM
Solar energy is one of the most promising and rapidly growing sources of renewable energy due to its abundance and environmental benefits. However, one of the main challenges with solar energy systems is their reliance on the angle of sunlight, which varies throughout the day. Fixed, stationary solar panels are limited by their inability to adjust their position relative to the sun’s changing path, leading to suboptimal power generation, particularly during early morning and late afternoon hours when the sun is at a low angle. This study was carried out to design and construct a microcontroller-based sun tracking system and investigate the performance of a microcontroller-based one-axis solar tracking system compared to a stationary solar panel. The experiment was conducted by measuring the power output of both panels at one-hour interval and analysing the effectiveness of the tracking system in optimizing solar energy capture. The results showed that the microcontroller-based solar tracking system consistently outperformed the stationary panel system, with improvements ranging from 5.8% in the early morning to 71.2% in the late afternoon. An average peak power output of 43.67 W was observed at midday (12:00), compared to the stationary panel’s39.28 W, indicating an11.2% increment. Statistical analysis using a paired t-test confirmed the significance of these differences (p < 0.05). These findings have practical implications for solar energy applications in regions with fluctuating sunlight angles, suggesting that solar trackers can enhance energy yields and provide more consistent power output.
Authors : Adamu, S., Oumarou, M.B., Muhammad, A.B. and Shuwa, M.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 10(1) Date Uploaded : 5th January 2025