Low-cost solar tracker to maximize the capture of solar energy in tropical countries

Abstract

The trend towards shift in electric powered systems is increasing the demand for greener sources of energy supply such as renewable energy. In comparison to wind, tidal and hydropower sources of renewable energy, solar derived energy provides an extra advantage for countries located in the tropical regions where solar resource is in abundance. The purpose of this study is to devise a low-cost and portable solar tracker to maximize the capture of solar energy per square meter of photovoltaic cells by considering an innovative ball-joint device for the tracking mechanism. The design specifications of the solar tracker was determined following thorough analysis of existing components on the market, namely the tracking device and solar panel. The methodology section involved key stages of setting up of the solar tracking device, namely the design, sizing, manufacturing, and assembly phase. From results of system-testing, the ball-joint operated solar tracker proved to be effective to precisely orient the solar panels in accordance with the earth’s rotation. The energy consumed by the solar tracking device as a percentage of energy produced was approximately 0.15%, hence demonstrating a system of high efficiency. In terms of performance, panels from the solar tracker outperformed those in the static ones as they generated significantly higher current by up to 37%. The proposed device is projected to have a larger impact in terms of cost saving in scaled-up system. The low-cost, solar-tracking device with innovative tracking mechanism, have shown the potential to maximize the capture of solar power in tropical countries by using small-to medium size solar panels.