Combination of Photovoltaic and Thermoelectric Generator (PV-TEG) Equipped with Solar Tracker Based on Fluid Mechanics Control

Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, but their static installation is generally less effective when the sun is not perpendicular to the solar panel. Therefore, a sun tracking system is required to keep the solar panels perpendicular to the direction of incoming sunlight. However, tracking systems generally require electrical energy to operate. The heat received by the solar panel cannot be converted into electrical energy; in fact, this can increase the panel's temperature, which decreases the solar panel's efficiency. A thermoelectric generator (T.E.G.) is a device that can convert heat into electrical energy using the Seabeck effect principle. Therefore, this research uses a combination of solar panel applications with a fluid-based sun tracking system to drive hydraulics and T.E.G.s to convert heat into electrical energy and cool solar panels called TESCLA. The test results show that the TESCLA can generate a peak power of 103 Watts and an average of 60.48 Watts throughout the day, higher than static solar panels and solar panels with an electrical tracking system. TESCLA increases the output power of solar panels by 26% or 12.81 Watts by utilizing waste heat without requiring additional energy for operation, in contrast to the Solar Tracker Electric, which consumes more Power.