A Microcontroller-Based Multi-Function Solar

Tracking System

A. Kassem (IEEE Member) and M. Hamad (IEEE Member)

Department of Electrical and computer and communication Engineering
Notre Dame University Louaize
Zouk Mosbeh
akassem|mhamad@ndu.edu.lb

Abstract— Renewable energy solutions are becoming large panels. This system can be installed any where in the
increasingly popular. Photovoltaic (solar) systems are but one world without knowing the sun directions and seasons.
example. Maximizing power output from a solar system is
desirable to increase efficiency. In order to maximize power Section II provides an overview of the solar system
output from solar panels, one needs to keep the panels aligned tracker; section III describes the hardware system
with the sun. As such, a means of tracking the sun is required. implementation of the proposed system. Section IV presents
This is definitely a more cost effective solution than purchasing the specifications of the proposed system and the preliminary
additional solar panels. It has been estimated that the yield from results. Finally, we conclude in section V.
solar panels can be increased by 30 to 60 percent by utilizing a
tracking system instead of a stationary array. In this paper, a II. SOLAR SYSTEM TRACKER
prototype for a microcontroller-based multi-function solar
tracking system is described, which will keep the solar panels A solar tracker is an electro-mechanical system used on
aligned with the sun in order to maximize efficiency. The behalf of orienting a solar photovoltaic panel in the direction
maximum power point tracking (MPPT) data can be of the sun. It is used in many applications such as the
transmitted in real time to other solar systems in need of this transportation signaling, lighthouses, emergency phones
data. installed in the highways, etc… Its main objective is to find
the maximum sun radiations in order to get maximum charge
Keywords- Solar energy, Photovoltaic, Solar tracking, batteries that
Microcontroller, Power.
Electricity can be generated from the sun in several ways.
Photovoltaics (PV) have been mainly developed for small and
I. INTRODUCTION
medium-sized applications, from the calculator powered by a
Solar energy is the energy extracted from the rays issued single solar cell to the PV power plant. For large-scale
from the sun in the form of heat and electricity. This energy is generation, concentrating solar thermal power plants have
essential for all life on Earth. It is a renewable resource that is been more common, however new multi-megawatt PV plants
clean, economical, and less pollution compared to other have been built recently [3]. A photovoltaic cell (PV cell) is a
resources and energy [1]. Therefore, solar energy is rapidly specialized semiconductor that converts visible light into
gaining notoriety as an important means of expanding direct current (DC). Some PV cells can produce DC electricity
renewable energy resources. As such, it is vital that those in from infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Photovoltaic
engineering fields understand the technologies associated with cells are an integral part of solar-electric energy systems,
this area. Our paper includes the design and implementation of which are becoming increasingly important as alternative
a microcontroller-based solar tracking system. Solar tracking sources of power utility [4], [5].
allows more energy to be produced because the solar panel is
tracking the maximum power point of the sun’s position. Solar cells generates DC electricity from light, which in
turn can be used in many applications such as: charging a
Nowadays, the popularity of solar energy and electricity batteries, powering equipment, etc. They produce currents as
combined with the reduced cost per peak watt are having a long as light shines, as shown in figure 1.
direct effect on increasing residential solar power system. But,
it is still very expensive compared to what the electric utility
company charges per kilowatt hour [2]. In addition, large solar
panels need a perfect fixed installation to get maximum sun
light and consume much power to turn left or right around a
single axis every hour or so.
To get an efficient solar tracker system, a small solar panel
is used instead of a large one to obtain a graphical position
Figure 1. Block diagram of the solar energy system
data of the sun when it is detected and send this data to the

978-1-4244-9493-4/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE

A. Solar Tracker III. HARDWARE SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION OF
A solar tracker is an electro-mechanical device for THE PROPOSED SYSTEM
orienting a solar photovoltaic panel toward the sun trackers, The smart solar system is a self-powered system; all
especially in solar cell applications; require a high degree of components of the system depend on each others, the system
accuracy to ensure that the concentrated sunlight is directed does not need any supply from the external world but only sun
precisely to the powered device [4]. light. Those components interconnect with each others in
Solar trackers can be active or passive and may be single order to form a closed system.
axis or dual axis [6]. Single axis trackers normally use a polar The solar radiation gathered by the photovoltaic cell is
mount for maximum solar efficiency and employ manual transformed into electrical energy; the panel will feed the
elevation (axis tilt) adjustment on a second axis, which can be input of the charger which will charge a 12 Volt DC battery.
adjusted regularly during the year. It has been estimated that The second functionality of the cell is to give precise voltage
the yield from solar panels can be increased by 30 to 60 to the tracker, in order to reach the most efficient direction and
percent by utilizing a tracking system instead of a stationary orientation of the system which will allows maximum sunlight
array [7]. absorption.
Trackers can be relatively inexpensive for photovoltaics. The battery will supply the system with a 12 Volt DC. The
This makes them especially effective for photovoltaic systems motors, the charger, the tracker and the sensors are supplied
using high-efficiency panels [8]. Solar trackers usually need by the battery. The battery is charged by the photovoltaic cell
inspection and lubrication on a regular basis. through the charger controller as shown in figure 3.
Active trackers, which use motors and gear trains, are
controlled by an electronic circuit responding to the solar
direction.

B. Applications
In this paper a solar tracker is realized to detect a
maximum power from sunlight. The position of maximum
detection power is stored in memory. The stored data can be
applicable for many application such as Large photo voltaic Figure 3. Relations between main parts of the system
panels can track the sun all the day light and by that give
above 95% efficiency in generating electricity; solar heaters Figure 4 shows the block diagram of the tracking system.
will also track the sun all the day light and by that less panels It explains the dependency of the tracker. As for the first
are required at the initial cost; while in the home automation running, the system has to detect sun light in a quick and
systems, this system is also needed in turning light ON and accurate way, for this reason photoresistors are used [9]. It
Off and also for opening and closing the curtains. will allows the tracking system to locate the nearest position
of the light based on comparisons done in the digital
The detection of the position of the sun undergoes several processor, this will guide the system in a x-y-z plane, that
steps. A digital system is used to calculate the maximum sun means all angles and locations can be detected and reached
radiation. It is connected to a stepper motor and to due to the two motors (two rotational axes).
Photoresistors to redirect the panel to the sun. It sends the
received data (position of the sun) to the stepper motors in The accuracy of the system is enhanced by the gear factor
order to position it toward the sun. The position tangles are and ratio, the used steppers motors are of 3.5 degrees/step,
saved in the registers of the digital processor such as a with the gears added to the motors many factors were
microcontroller and can be displayed on an LCD or can be improved such as the degree/step (less degree per step which
transmitted to control a remote system. Figure 2 illustrates the leads to better accuracy in position and angles) and high
system block diagram. torque for the motors.

Figure 2. Block diagram of the sun tracker

Figure 4. Dependency of the tracker

Three photoresistors are used in the tracking system all are

fixed on the upper part of the system near the photovoltaic cell
in an X-O-Y manner as shown in figure 5. It allows a
reference photoresistors the one at position O which will be
compared with the photoresistors X and Y and depending on 5 If I < threshold value (minimum current); wait for 30 minutes and
the voltage output. goto step 3, otherwise goto step 6
Turn PV left for 3.5°, measure the current; if it is greater then the
The tracker will compare X and O positions, the previous current continue turning left until finding the maximum
comparison will end after a very near values of outputs of 6 current in x and y axis; Otherwise turn right and do the same.
those two photoresistors are reached, a loop will control the After finding the maximum current turn up or down to get the
maximum current in z-axis, and wait for 45 minutes.
stepper motor motion and steps till a near equality of sunlight 7 Send the coordinates (x,y,z) to the heater or large panels wired or
distribution will be reached. After reaching an acceptable wireless.
position and values for the X-O position test, the Y-O 8 Goto step 3
photoresistors are tested and compared in the same manner.
B. Preliminary Results
In order to assess the efficiency of the proposed system,
some measurements were taken during a sunny summer day.
Table 2 shows the comparison between the maximum current
using a fixed Photovoltaic panel (PV) and using the proposed
system at different times.

TABLE II. COMPARISON OF THE CURRENT BETWEEN FIXED PV AND

USING THE PROPOSED SYSTEM
Figure 5. Three photoresistors installed on PV
Time Current using a fixed PV Current using the
Figure 6 shows the flowchart algorithm of the tracker (Amp) proposed system (Amp)
system. When the system is started the output values of the 8:00 AM 0.42 0.85
sensors will be compared together in order to locate the light 9:00 AM 0.55 0.90
direction. If the output of the sensor X is greater than that of 10:00 AM 0.75 0.92
11:00 AM 0.81 0.95
sensor O then the system will deviate toward X, the system
12:00 PM 0.92 0.99
will rotate in the x-y plane, in order to reach a value where the 1:00 PM 0.95 0.99
two sensors have nearly the same output voltage. 2:00 PM 0.88 0.99
3:00 PM 0.76 0.98
The same operation is done for the z-plane, as the sensor O
4:00 PM 0.42 0.95
and X have a similar output voltage then, a comparison with 5:00 PM 0.23 0.95
the Y sensor will allow the system to rotate in the z- plane. 6:00 PM 0.15 0.92
Using this method the tracker will have the sun position. This 7:00 PM 0.08 0.72
position will be updated each time a variation will occurs in 8:00 PM 0.01 0.25
the outputs of the sensors , the time of updating the track can Total 6.93 11.36.
be regulated (knowing that the deviation of the sun will not
The efficiency of the proposed system can be calculated
occurs each second ), so a period time can be added once the
using the equation (1):
system is in stable position in order to reach the second stable
position . (11.36 − 6.93) *100
Efficiency = = 63.92% (1)
The benefit of the smart tracker is that allows a precise 6.93
position of the sun light. The sun direction is measured in a It seems that the efficiency of the proposed system can be
three axis diagram (position and angle). The information that increased around 64% on a summer sunny day. In addition,
the tracker will detect will be sent to different systems that has the proposed system consumes little power to turn the PV
the same functionality (that rotates following the solar rays to panel using a small stepper motor instead of using large panel
reduce the power consumption of the system). which consumes larger amount of power [10]. Moreover, this
system can power itself from the PV panel using a 12 volt
IV. SPECIFICATIONS AND PRIMARY RESULTS battery.
A. Specifications V. CONCLUSION
In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed In this paper a universal multi-function solar tracker
system, a control algorithm is generated as shown in table 1. system is reported. The proposed system was implemented in
TABLE I. CONTROL ALGORITHM reduced complexity architecture such as a microcontroller.
The control system which is the brain of the proposed system
Step # Action
1 Install the small PV is used to turn a small PV panel in three directions to
2 Put PV in initial position (0,0,0) determine the maximum output current.
3 Find the maximum sun light, using the photoresistors, and save
the position of the PV
Three photoresistors are used every 45 minutes to redirect
4 Measure the current (I) the PV panel to het the nearest value of the maximum sun.
 Figure 6. Flowchart algorithm of the tracker system

[5] S. Armstrong and W.G Hurley “Investigating the Effectiveness of

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Maximum Power Point Tracking for a Solar System”, The IEEE
Conference on Power Electronics Specialists, pp.204-209, 2005.
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial [6] O. Aliman, and I Daut, “Rotation-Elevation of Sun Tracking Mode to
support from faculty of Engineering of NDU. Gain High Concentration Solar Energy”, The IEEE International
Conference on Power Engineering, Energy and Electrical Drives,
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