Design a Photovoltaic Tracking System

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
² Alternative Energy Technology Department, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Development and performance analysis of an IoT-integrated solar tracking system is presented in this paper, which is intended to facilitate higher efficiency in PV energy generation. In this regard, a dual-axis mechanism is implemented here in the system, which continually updates the orientation of the solar panels in such a way as to track the trajectory path of the sun for maximum absorption of solar energy. The INA219 I2C DC Current/Power Monitor Sensor was used for performance evaluation in changing environmental conditions, taking measurements of power, current, and voltage over a full day. On May 9, 2024, experimental results of the proposed dual-axis solar tracking system generated performance gains higher than 25% in comparison with fixed solar panels. This can be explained by its ability to track optimal alignment throughout the day, especially during peak hours of solar intensity. Integration of IoT enables real-time data from a cloud platform in order to support customers through remote monitoring of power output, solar radiation, and panel efficiency using either a web dashboard or a mobile application. In addition, predictive maintenance by data analytics can identify potential problems before actual system failure, which reduces operation costs because of better reliability. The results have pointed out that dual-axis trackers are very crucial in developing an effective means of generating solar energy, particularly in those areas where sunlight conditions are inconsistent.