Single Axis Solar Tracking System using Microcontroller and Servo Motor

As the energy demand and the environmental problems increase, the natural energy sources have become very important as an alternative to the conventional energy sources. The renewable energy sector is fast gaining ground as a new growth area for numerous countries with the vast potential it presents environmentally and economically. Solar energy plays an important role as a primary source of energy, especially for rural area. This project aims at the development of process to track the sun and attain maximum efficiency using Microcontroller for real time monitoring. The project is divided into two stages, which are hardware and software development. In hardware development, two light dependent resistor (LDR) has been used for capturing maximum light source. Servo motor has been used to move the solar panel at maximum light source location sensing by LDR. The performance of the system has been tested and compared with static solar panel. This project describes the design of a low cost, solar tracking system.