Design and Performance Analysis of a Low-Cost Dual Axis Solar Tracking System Using LDR Sensors for Developing Countries

Ashique E Elahi Sadi, Hassan Bin Habibur Rahman, Olly Roy Chowdhury

Abstract


The performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system mainly depends on the position of the solar panel with respect to sunlight. Fixed solar panels cannot receive maximum sunlight throughout the day because the position of the sun changes continuously. To solve this problem, this study presents the design and performance analysis of a low-cost dual-axis solar tracking system using Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensors and a PIC16F690 microcontroller-based control system. The proposed system automatically adjusts both the horizontal (azimuth) and vertical (elevation) angles of the solar panel to receive maximum solar radiation. A prototype of the system was developed and tested under outdoor environmental conditions in Bangladesh. Experimental results show that the tracking system achieved around 18.29% higher daily energy output compared to a fixed solar panel system. The proposed system provides a good balance among low cost, simple design, and improved performance, which makes it suitable for small-scale and rural solar energy applications, especially in developing countries such as Bangladesh.

Keywords


Solar tracking system, Dual-axis system, LDR sensor, Photovoltaic efficiency, Embedded control, Renewable energy, Maximum Power Point (MPP).

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v58.1.8303

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