A Study on the Sun Tracking Mechanisms used for the Photovoltaic Systems

Abstract

A major problem of nowadays society is the continuous growth of electricity consumption, simultaneously with the decrease in fossil fuel resources. A solution is represented by the systems of converting solar energy into electrical energy (i.e. the photovoltaic systems). The work deals with an overview of the tracking mechanisms that can be used for increasing the energy efficiency of photovoltaic systems. On these grounds, a case study has been developed, considering a dual-axis equatorial tracking mechanism. The energetic efficiency of the photovoltaic system equipped with the proposed solar tracker was evaluated by modeling & simulating the virtual prototype, in the mechatronic concept.