IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLAR

TRACKING SYSTEM FOR MAXIMUM

POWER OUTPUT
S. B. SRIDEVI1, A.SAI SUNEEL2, K. NALINI3,
1,2,3 M.Tech., Faculty, Department of ECE, SE&T, SPMVV, Tirupati, India.

ABSTRACT- This paper shows the potential system

benefits of simple tracking solar system Solar power
generation had been used as a renewable energy since
years ago. The main objective of this project is to
present development of an automatic solar tracking
system in which solar panels will keep aligned with the
Sunlight in order to maximize in harvesting solar
power and also to display the voltage generating from
the solar panel. The system focuses on the controller
design where the system is able to track the maximum
intensity of Sunlight. When the intensity of Sunlight is
decreasing, this system automatically changes its
direction to get maximum intensity of Sunlight. LDR
light detector acts as a sensor is used to trace the
coordinate of the Sunlight by detecting brightness
level of Sunlight. While to rotate the appropriate
position of the panel, a DC motor is used. The system
is controlled by a microcontroller as a main processor.
This project is designed for low power and residential
usage applications. From the hardware testing, the
system is able to track and follow the Sunlight
intensity in order to get maximum solar power at the
output. This project is designed with AT89S52
Microcontroller unit. Depending upon the light falls
on LDR the data will be read by the Microcontroller
and the direction of the motor will be changed. With
this direction the Solar panel which is attached to the
motor also rotates to gain the maximum sun rays. A
solar tracking system is designed, implemented and
experimentally tested. The design details and the
experimental results are shown.
Keywords-Renewable Energy, Power Optimization.
I INTRODUCTION
Most of the electricity in India comes from fossil fuels
like coal, oil and natural gas. Today the demand of
electricity in India is increasing and is already more
than the production of electricity whereas the reserves
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of the fossil fuel are depleting every day. We can feel

this fact from the electricity-cuts during summer.
Luckily sun throws so much energy over India, that if
we can trap few minutes of solar energy falling over
India we can provide India with electricity for whole
year. Most parts of India get 7KWH/sq-meter of energy
per day averaged over a year. The main aim of this
project is to generate the maximum power from solar
panel by continuously tracking the sun rays.The purpose
of the project is to implement a system to continuously
track the sun rays with the help of the solar panel and
grasp the maximum power from the sun by rotating the
solar panel according to the sun rays direction. In
present situation everyone is facing the problem with
power cuts which is creating very much trouble to the
people. So, to solve this problem we have a solution that
is the sun. By using sun radiation we can get power i.e.,
the solar energy using which we generate the power.
There are so many renewable energy sources like solar,
wind, geothermal etc. Solar energy system is very
simple and easy to implement. But the main drawback
of the solar tracking system is that it is very poor
efficient system.
By using this project we can improve the efficiency of
solar tracking system.In this system the solar panel will
turn according to the sun rotation. The system focuses
on the controller design where the system is able to
track the maximum intensity of Sunlight. When the
intensity of Sunlight is decreasing, this system
automatically changes its direction to get maximum
intensity of Sunlight. LDR light detector acts as a sensor
is used to trace the coordinate of the Sunlight by
detecting brightness level of Sunlight. While to rotate
the appropriate position of the panel, a DC motor is
used. The system is controlled by a microcontroller as a
main processor. So by using DC motor we rotate the
solar panel. Whenever the radiation of the sun falls on
the solar panel it grasps the radiation and stores in it and
it will send the message to the controller about its

Page 23

power. Microcontroller will receive this information

and display on LCD. From the hardware testing, the
system is able to track and follow the Sunlight intensity
in order to get maximum solar power at the output.

II OVERVIEW OF SOLAR TRACKERS

Solar tracker and the components which made up
Solar Tracker. Solar cells are converters. They take
energy from the sunlight and convert that energy into
electricity. Most solar cells are made from silicon,
which is a semi-conductor or a semi-metal. Solar
cells are made by joining two types of semiconducting material: P-type and N-type. At the atomic
level, light consists of pure energy particles, called
photons. The photons from the sun penetrate the
solar cells. These photons knock electrons loose from
their atoms, allowing the electrons to flow through the
material to produce electricity. This process of
converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage) is
called the photovoltaic (PV) effect. Solar cells or PV
cells rely on the photovoltaic effect to absorb the
energy of the sun and generate electricity.

Fig 1: Photovoltaic technology

A solar panel is a collection of solar cells. To get the
most power, solar panels have to be pointed directly at
the Sun. The development of solar cell technology
begins with 1839 research of French physicist
Antoine-Cesar Becquerel. He observed the
photovoltaic effect while experimenting with a solid
electrode in an electrolyte solution. After that he saw a
voltage developed when light fell upon the electrode.

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Crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide are typical

choices of materials for solar panels. Gallium arsenide
crystals are grown especially for photovoltaic use, but
silicon crystals are available in less-expensive
standard ingots, which are produced mainly for
consumption in the microelectronics industry.
Norways Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) has
confirmed that it will build a solar manufacturing
plant in Singapore by 2010 - the largest in the world.
This plant will be able to produce products that can
generate up to 1.5 Gigawatt (GW) of energy every
year. That is enough to power several million
households at any one time. A solar tracker is a device
onto which solar panels are fitted which tracks the
motion of the sun across the sky ensuring that the
maximum amount of sunlight strikes the panels
throughout the day.
III
PROPOSED
MICROCONTROLLER
TRACKER

METHODBASED
SOLAR

In the microcontroller based solar tracker systems, a

controller is connected to DC motors. Usually for
monitoring the power generation, they also connected
this tracking device to a PC by a code written in
Assembly or Embedded C language. In this solar
tracker design, sensors are used. For example, a light
sensor or photo sensor called light-dependent resistor
(LDR) to indicate the intensity of the radiation (that
changes its electrical resistance from several thousand
Ohms in the dark to only a few hundred Ohms when
light falls upon it). The signals were then captured by
the microcontroller that provides a signal to the
motors to rotate the panel in order to track the solar
energy for maximum power output. Hence, the main
difference between the active trackers is the ability to
reduce the pointing error using external sensors,
thereby increasing the daily irradiation the solar cells
receive and the electric energy that they produced. A
comparative study shows that, the power consumption
by the tracking device is only 2-3 % of the increased
energy. The annual energy available to the two axis
tracker was 72% higher than a fixed surface and 30%
for single axis East-to-West tracker.

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IV COMPARISION OF EXISTED METHODS

AND PROPOSED METHOD
EXISTED METHOD

PROPOSED
METHOD

Solar panels are fixed

Movable Solar
panels.

The
system
cant
automatically
change
its
direction to get maximum
power at output.

The
system
automatically
changes
its
direction
to
get maximum
power
at
output.

Low efficiency

Accuracy is less.
The available annual
energy to fixed trackers
is considerably low.

High
efficiency
Highly
accurate.
The
annual
energy
available
to
the automatic
tracker is 72%
higher.

Table I : Comparision of existed and proposed

methods
The block diagram description of the automatic solar
tracking system is
presented.

AT89S52 is 8-bit microcontroller from

Atmel Semiconductors. This comes into 8051 family
microcontroller. This is the heart of the project. The
complete control logic program is stored in this
microcontroller. It sends and receives control and data
signals to LCD, Stepper motor and to the other
Devices based on the program logic.ADC0808
receives the analog output from LDRs and solar panel.
It converts them to digital form. These digital signals
are given to the microcontroller. SOLAR PANEL is a
photo voltaic cell and this converts light energy into
electrical energy. The output voltage of the solar panel
depends on the amount of light falling on the panel.
LDR SENSORS- This is a light dependent resistor.
The resistance of the device is inversely proportional
to the amount of light falling on its surface. If light
falls on the device, its resistance drops dramatically
resulting in electron flow. LDRs are used as light
sensors. L293D MOTOR DRIVER -L293D Driver
compares the LDR values and the motor is rotated
accordingly. The solar panel that is attached to the
motor will be rotated according to the direction of
motor.
DC MOTOR-The DC motor is used to rotate the solar
panel. The DC motor makes actual and exact number
of turns or degrees of rotation instructed by the
microcontroller. LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY-16 X
2 LCD is used to display the status of the output.
HD44780U is used in the project.
A single
HD44780U can display up to one 8-character line or
two 8-character lines. The HD44780U has pin
function compatibility with the HD44780S which
allows the user to easily replace an LCD-II with an
HD44780U. The HD44780U character generator
ROM is extended to generate 208 5X8 dot character
fonts and 32 5X10 dot character fonts for a total of
240
different
character
fonts.
CRYSTAL
OSCILLATOR- A crystal is used to supply clock

frequency to the microcontroller. The clock

frequency is 11.0592MHz.
11.0592 MHz
crystals are often used because it can be divided
to give you exact clock rates for most of the
common baud rates. POWER SUPPLY- This

Fig 2: Block Diagram of automatic solar tracker

system

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project needs 5V regulated DC power supply. This

power supply is built with a full wave bridge rectifier,
C- filter and a three terminal voltage regulator. An
LED is provided for visual identification of the power
supply. 230V / 12V step down transformer is used to
step down the AC 230 V to 12V AC.

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TRACKING PRINCIPLE
An automated solar tracker allows the panel to
perform an approximate 3-dimensional (3-D)
hemispheroidal rotation to track the suns movement
during the day in order to maximize in harvesting
solar power. Light gathering is dependent on the angle
of incidence of the light source providing power (i.e.
the sun) to the solar cells surface. Day sunlight will
have an angle of incidence close to 90in the morning
and the evening. At such an angle, the light gathering
ability of the cell is essentially zero, resulting in no
output. As the day progresses to midday, the angle of
incidence approaches 0, causing a steady increase in
power until at the point where the light incident on the
panel is closer to perpendicular and maximum power
is achieved. From this background, we see the need to
maintain the maximum power output from the panel
by maintaining an angle of incidence as close to 0 as
possible. By tilting the solar panel to continuously
face the sun, this can be achieved. This process of
sensing and following the position of the sun is known
as Solar Tracking.Two LDR light detectors act as
sensors to trace the coordinate of the Sunlight by
detecting brightness level of Sunlight.

FLOW CHART

Fig 3: Flow chart of solar tracking system

5.1 FLOW CHART DESCRIPTION
The process of sensing and following the
position of the sun is known as Solar Tracking.Two

When LDR1 has higher light intensity than

LDR2 then the resistance of LDR1 is smaller
than that of LDR2 then voltage at CH-1 is
higher than that of CH-2 and the DC motor
rotates the solar panel in the counter
clockwise direction.
When LDR2 has higher light intensity than
LDR1 then the resistance of LDR1 is larger
than that of LDR2 then voltage at CH-1 is
smaller than that of CH-2 and the DC motor
rotates the solar panel in the clockwise
direction.

LDR light detectors act as sensors to trace the

coordinate of the Sunlight by detecting brightness
level of Sunlight.The system reads the LDR signals
and sends them to the Analog-to-Digital converter.

The Analog-to-Digital converter converts

these analog signals to digital form.

The digitally converted signals are then

compared by the L293D motor driver and the DC

motor is rotated accordingly.

The stable position is when the two LDRs

having the same light intensity

The system is controlled by a microcontroller as

the main processor. When the intensity of Sunlight is
decreasing, this system automatically changes its
direction to get maximum intensity of Sunlight and
generate maximum power at the output.

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When LDR1 has higher light intensity than

LDR2 then the resistance of LDR1 is smaller than that

of LDR2 then voltage at CH-1 is higher than that of
CH-2 and the DC motor rotates the solar panel in the
counter clockwise direction.

Page 26

When LDR2 has higher light intensity than

LDR1 then the resistance of LDR1 is larger than that

of LDR2 then voltage at CH-1 is smaller than that of

5.
Save the Project by typing suitable project
name with no extension in our own folder sited in
either C:\ or D:\

CH-2 and the DC motor rotates the solar panel in the

6.

Then Click on save button above

clockwise direction.

7.

Select AT89S52

The stable position is when the two LDRs having the

8.

Then Click on OK

samelightintensity.

9.

The following window will appear

Then Click either YES or NOmostly

INTRODUCTION TO KEIL SOFTWARE

10.
NO

ABOUT KEIL:

11.

Now our project is ready to USE

1.

Click on the Keil u Vision4 Icon on Desktop

12.
Now double click on the Target1, we would
get another option Source group 1

2.

The following figure will appear

The system is controlled by a microcontroller as the

main processor. When the intensity of Sunlight is
decreasing, this system automatically changes its
direction to get maximum intensity of Sunlight and
generate maximum power at the output.
IMPLEMENTATION
SOFTWARE

USING

KEIL

Keil compiler is a software used where the

machine language code is written and compiled. After
compilation, the machine source code is converted
into hex code which is to be dumped into the
microcontroller for further processing. Keil compiler
also supports C language code.

13.
Click on the file option from menu bar and
select new
14.
Now start writing program in either in C
or ASM
15.
For a program written in Assembly, then
save it with extension . asm and for C based
program save it with extension .C
16.
Now right click on Source group 1 and click
on Add files to Group Source
17.
Now Press function key F7 to compile. Any
error will appear if so happen.
3.
4.

Click on the Project menu from the title bar

18.
If the file contains no error, then press
Control+F5 simultaneously.

Then Click on New Project

19.

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The new window is as follows

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STEPS TO WORK WITH PROLOAD

20.

Then Click OK

21.
Now Click on the Peripherals from menu bar,
and check required port
22.
Drag the port a side and click in the program
file.Now keep Pressing function key F11 slowly and
observe. We are running program successfully
PROLOAD
Proload is software which accepts only hex
files. Once the machine code is converted into hex
code, that hex code has to be dumped into the
microcontroller placed in the programmer kit and this
is done by the Proload. Programmer kit contains a
microcontroller on it other than the one which is to be
programmed. This microcontroller has a program in it
written in such a way that it accepts the hex file from
the keil compiler and dumps this hex file into the
microcontroller which is to be programmed. As this
programmer kit requires power supply to be operated,
this power supply is given from the power supply
circuit designed above. It should be noted that this
programmer kit contains a power supply section in the
board itself but in order to switch on that power
supply, a source is required. Thus this is accomplished
from the power supply board with an output of
12volts or from an adapter connected to 230 V AC.

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1.

Install the Proload Software in the PC.

2.

Now connect the Programmer kit to the PC

(CPU) through serial cable.

3.

Power up the programmer kit from the ac supply

through adapter.

4.

Now place the microcontroller in the GIF socket

provided in the programmer kit.

5.

Click on the proload icon in the PC. A window

appears providing the information like Hardware
model, com port, device type, Flash size etc.
Click on browse option to select the hex file to
be dumped into the microcontroller and then
click on Auto program to program the
microcontroller with that particular hex file.

6.

The status of the microcontroller can be seen in

the small status window in the bottom of the
page.

7.

After this process is completed, remove the

microcontroller from the programmer kit and
place it in your system board. Now the system
board behaves according to the program written
in the microcontroller.

V RESULT ANALYSIS
The data of voltage received from static solar
panel and solar tracking system for a day is shown in
table II below. From static solar panel, maximum
voltage obtained is 1.13 Volt. Meanwhile, from solar
tracking system, maximum voltage obtained is 2.00
Volts.
Hours

From static solar panel

From
solar
tracking
system

CH-1

CH-2

CH-1

CH-2

VOLTS

07: 30 AM

008

010

0.00

101

004

0.30

08: 30 AM

009

009

0.00

110

004

0.90

10: 30 AM

009

009

0.00

098

008

1.60

11: 10 AM

010

010

1.00

255

179

2.00

02: 00 PM

010

010

1.13

028

110

1.52

05: 30 PM

009

009

0.00

035

103

0.80

VOLTS

Page 28

Table II: Data from solar panel during hardware

testing

The comparison of electric power

characteristic curves from static solar panel and solar
tracking system is shown in Figure 7.1. It shows that
solar tracking system is able to receive more Sunlight
and consequently generate more power as compared
to static solar panel.

focuses on designing controller part and the main

concern is to design appropriate circuits and the
circuits suppose to be able to control DC motor
rotation direction.The system is able to track and
follow Sunlight intensity in order to collect maximum
solar power.In terms of cost per Watt of the completed
solar system, it is usually cheaper (for all but the
smallest solar installations) to use a solar tracker and
less solar panels where space and planning permit. A
good solar tracker can typically lead to an increase in
electricity generation capacity of 30-50%.The
constructed system model can be applied in the
residential area for alternative electricity generation
especially for non-critical and low power appliances.
REFERENCES

Fig 5: Electric Power Vs Hours characteristic

curve comparison between static solar panel and
solar tracking system.

Fig 6: Solar street lights

CONCLUSION
Single Axis Solar Tracking System prototype model is
successfully developed. The designed system is
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