EastWest : Solar tracking photovoltaic panel

Abstract: The purpose of this project was to investigate how efficient it is to implement steering of a solar panel, in one or two axes. To determine how efficient it is, special consideration was taken to the energy usage of the driving system. Practical applications have also been considered with pros and cons. To answer the research questions a prototype was built and a controlled environment for testing was arranged. Rotating the panel in one axis resulted in a 26% energy increase and for the two-axis system a 56% energy increase compared to stationary panel. The use of stepper motors turned out to be not as efficient as needed, due to continuous use of energy at all times during operation.