A LOW COST SINGLE-AXIS SUN TRACKER SYSTEM USING PIC MICROCONTROLLER

Abstract

Solar energy is rapidly gaining importance as an energy resource. To make solar energy more viable, efficiency of solar panel systems must be maximized. A feasible approach to maximize the efficiency of solar panel systems is sun tracking. A solar panel receives the most sunlight when it is perpendicular to the sun’s rays. This paper is about moving a solar panel along with the direction of sunlight; it uses a geared motor to change the position of the solar panel, the motor is controlled by the PIC16F84A microcontroller, which detects the sunlight using photocells. The objective is to design and implement an automated, one-axis solar-tracking mechanism using embedded system design with minimum cost and reliable structure