Performance of a Solar PV Tracking System on Tropic Regions

Climate change is currently a large concern for human society, particularly on high dependence on fossil fuels. A considerable amount of research effort is focused on renewable energies, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) generation systems. For solar PV systems, energy conversion efficiency is an active research topic, with many approaches being developed to solve this problem. One of these approaches is solar tracking systems, where the solar PV moves with the sun in order to capture the maximum direct solar radiation. This paper proposes a solar PV single-axis tracking system and compares the energy conversion efficiency with respect to a fixed solar PV installation. The proposed mechanical system is based on a servomotor moving a PV on a shaft, covering 180 degrees. A seven-element sensor is used to measure and estimate the angle of maximum solar radiation. Also, a control system was used to obtain the optimal power output from the solar PV. The system was tested in Fusagasugá, Colombia, which is located in the tropics region.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.2495/ESUS150171
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.witpress.com/books/978-1-84564-944-9
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from WIT Press.
• Corporate Authors:

  WIT Press

  Ashurst Lodge
  Ashurst, Southampton  United Kingdom  SO40 7AA
• Authors:
  • Garcia, Y
  • Diaz, O
  • Agudelo, C
• Conference:
  • 6th International Conference on Energy and Sustainability
  • Location: Medellin , Colombia
  • Date: 2015-9-2 to 2015-9-4
• Publication Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 11p
• Monograph Title: Energy and Sustainability VI
• Serial:
  • WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment
  • Volume: 195
  • Publisher: WIT Press
  • ISSN: 1743-3541
  • Serial URL: http://www.witpress.com/elibrary/wit-transactions-on-ecology-and-the-environment

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Climate change; Photovoltaic effect; Renewable energy sources; Solar power generation; Solar radiation; Tracking systems; Tropics
• Geographic Terms: Columbia
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Transportation (General); I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01588434
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9781845649456
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 28 2016 9:01AM