Abstract:
Solar power is an alternative energy resource which will potentially reduce the dependence on environmental energy resources such as coal and petroleum. However, the solar power absorption efficiency in current solar energy panel systems is normally lower that limits the solar system applications. The solar power system needs to be improved including solar panel tracking mechanism to increase the system energy efficiency. To receive the maximum solar energy from sunlight, the tracking mechanism is required in order for solar power system to follow sun’s daily and yearly movement. The solar panel system should have the capability to store solar energy while work in rainy, windy, and snowy conditions. Also, the solar power system should be able to withstand the external loads, such as strong wind and heavy snow, to function properly even in severe weather and harsh environment. This paper presents a new type of dual-axial solar tracking mechanism to maximize the solar power absorption. The computer aided 3-D modeling, numerical analysis, and prototype experiments have been performed to design and develop this new solar tracking system.
