Improved Design of Automatic Solar Tracking System based on Integration of Accelerometer, Compass Sensor, and GPS

Abstract

Nowadays, solar energy has been studied and applied widely. This study presents a design of a two-degree-of-freedom system that automatically controls the photovoltaic module’s orientation according to the sun’s apparent motion to improve energy efficiency. The system exploits the valuable information from the Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, accelerometer, and compass sensor. It not only enhances energy efficiency significantly but also reduces the complexity of mechanical systems and controllers.