Solrosen- Ett riktningssystem för solpaneler. An inquiry into the availability of solar energy in theory and practice.

Abstract

Today, the consumption of energy in society is growing fast along with an increasing demand for renewable energy sources. Solar energy is a promising energy source, although the limited effect coupled with high costs have limited the popularity of solar energy in earlier decades. This cost has in later years become affordable to the point where it provides a cost effective energy alternative not only to the commercial energy grid, but for personal use as well. However, the effectiveness of a Photovoltaic system depends on the implementation and general energy availability present at a location. This project aims to determine the gains made by using a solar tracking system in comparison to having a stationary solar cell unit present at a location during any time of the year. This by first simulating the physical properties at play for such units in a Simulink program, and then by comparing the values obtained to values measured from an actual solar tracking unit built by us. The positives and negatives of the tracking case versus the stationary case will then be discussed. The project found that the gains in solar energy output depend on a variety of factors, and that some factors’ relevance depend on geographical location. For the case of Gothenburg, Sweden, horizontal solar tracking produced almost double the energy of a stationary solar cell, while the energy gain from vertical tracking was almost negligible.