A Microcontroller-based solar panel tracking system

Abstract

Renewable energy is rapidly gaining importance as an energy resource as fossil fuel prices fluctuate. At the educational level, it is therefore critical for engineering and technology students to have an understanding and appreciation of the technologies associated with renewable energy. One of the most popular renewable energy sources is solar energy. This paper describes a capstone design project where a student in Electrical Engineering Technology designed and built a microcontroller-based solar panel tracking system. Solar tracking enables more energy to be generated because the solar panel is able to maintain a perpendicular profile to the sun's rays. This system builds upon a prior senior design project where students built a solar-powered battery charger, thus making this system ideally self-contained. The student was able to demonstrate a working system, thus validating the design. Potential improvements to the system are presented. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2007.