An accurate and efficient solar tracking system using image processing and LDR sensor
The use of renewable energy resources is increasing for the purpose of producing electricity in modern world due to lack of non-renewable sources. As solar panels are becoming more popular day by day, it is a crying need to maximize the solar panel efficiency. The efficiency of solar panels can be increased to a great extent if the solar panels continuously rotate in the direction of sun. Microcontroller and an arrangement of LDR sensors can be used for the purpose of tracking the sun. But the system is less efficient because of the low sensitivity and disturbance of light dependent resistors. In this paper, a methodology of an automatic solar tracker is proposed by means of both sensors and image processing simultaneously. The mechanism of solar tracking was implemented by the use of an image processing software which combines the effect of sensors and processed image of sun and controls the solar panel accordingly. The methodology is a combination of hardware and software which can be used to control hundreds of solar panels in a solar power plant with more accuracy. It can be concluded that the proposed system is more accurate and efficient than the conventional solar tracking systems which can optimize the power requirement.
"Energy, People, Environment". Development of an integrated renewable energy and energy storage system, an uninterruptible power supply for people and for better environment
Energy continues to be an essential key to worldwide development approaching higher standard of life. The main source of energy in the past and present in industrial nations has been fossil energy and in the next century these countries will need to depend more on coal, nuclear and renewable energy. Generation of energy from fossil fuels is always associated with loss of thermal energy as well as undesired by-products and polluting materials. Twenty years ago nuclear energy was widely believed to be the energy of the future but today because of some unsolved problems in this field there is a large question mark on the whole nuclear industry. Overcoming these energy problems requires developing new energy systems which are environmentally friendly. In this paper, the author presents the latest development and the results obtained from a project of an integrated renewable energy and energy storage (IREES) system. The IREES system, which is a total renewable energy based electricity supply system, finds so many applications as it can be used as a large scale power supply being connected to national grids as well as a small scale power supply for remote areas. Findings and results arising from this research project will be of practical value for both power suppliers and people as energy users as this system not only conserves energy but also helps preserve the environment.<<ETX>>
Sun following system adjustment at the UTFSM
Abstract The “Evaluacion Solar” Laboratory of the Technical University Federico Santa Maria (UTFSM) in Valparaiso exists since 1957. Some types of sun following systems using instruments for different types of solar measurements were created during the mentioned period in this Laboratory. A solar tracking unit INTRA was recently installed in the UTFSM. It is considered a modern measuring and registering system for actual measuring of radiation in digital form, easier to store and to process. The action of the sun tracker is autonomous, which makes it a flexible tool to support direct radiation measurements. A special device was designed and constructed to support the measuring instruments. Three Eppley pyrheliometers were mounted on the unit and connected with an automatic registering system. An additional UV measuring sensor will be mounted soon. The realized measurements were compared with the results obtained manually from a K&Z pyrheliometer. The difference between both types of pyrheliometers is very small, which is a good precondition for using the INTRA sun tracker for precise measurements in the future.