Design, Implementation, and Performance Analysis of a Voltage Based Dual-Axis Sun Tracking Solar Panel System using Arduino

Abstract- The escalating global energy demand, coupled with the adverse environmental impacts of fossil fuels, has intensified the search for clean and sustainable energy alternatives. Solar energy, being abundant and universally available, stands out as one of the most promising renewable resources. Photovoltaic (PV) technology, which facilitates the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity, is the cornerstone of solar power generation. The fundamental principle of a PV cell involves the photoelectric effect, where photons from sunlight strike a semiconductor material (typically silicon), liberating electrons and thereby generating a direct current (DC) and a corresponding voltage. The power output (P) of a solar panel is a product of its output voltage (V) and current (I), and is directly proportional to the intensity of the solar irradiance it receives. For a flat-panel collector, the received irradiance is maximized when the surface is perfectly normal (perpendicular) to the incoming solar rays. However, due to the Earth's rotation and its orbit around the sun, the sun's apparent position in the sky is in constant motion. A conventional solar panel, installed at a fixed tilt angle, is only at its peak efficiency for a very brief window during the day. At all other times, the oblique angle of incidence results in significant cosine losses, reducing the effective capture area and diminishing the overall energy yield. To mitigate this inherent limitation, solar tracking systems are employed. These systems dynamically reorient the PV panel to follow the sun's trajectory, thereby maximizing the incident radiation and significantly boosting the total energy harvested.