Remote triggered solar energy assessment using a pyrheliometer and a pyranometer

Abstract

Solar energy can be best harnessed by obtaining accurate values of solar radiation intensity for a given location. This work describes the design and implementation of a novel dual axis tracking system, costing a fraction of an equivalent product on the market, which has been developed to measure, remotely analyze, and assess the solar radiation potential using two pyranometers and a pyrheliometer. The three components of the solar irradiance: direct horizontal (DHI), global horizontal (GHI), and direct normal (DNI), can be individually determined with the device. The mounting and tracking mechanism accommodating the pyrheliometer and pyranometers sensors is designed to rotate in both the elevation and azimuth axes, with the tracking position calculated using the SUNAE algorithm. A shading eye is used to separate the DHI from the GHI. The tracking system is implemented in an online remote trigger virtual labs experiment which can be accessed over the internet.