Miniature Solar Tracking Experiment from GreatScott!

If you live in an area with prevalent sunshine, you’ve probably thought about implementing some form of solar power generation. While there is a lot to consider cost and efficiency-wise, it goes without saying that having your panel pointed directly at the sun is best. But just how much better is actively tracking the sun than simply attaching it flat on your roof?

Ater previously installing a solar panel, GreatScott! decided to find out the answer to this question. For his experiment, he used two identical miniature solar panels, placing one directly on his roof and mounting the other to a pan/tilt mechanism based on the design found here. The sun’s direction is determined by four LDRs set up as voltage dividers, which feed data into an Arduino Nano for movement control. Power logging is handled by a pair of devices introduced in a separate video.

After around 2 ½ hours of testing, he discovered that the tracking mechanism produces 15% more energy. While a positive indicator for panel movement, he notes that there are other factors that would affect the total power input, including time of day, and that the servos need power to run themselves. Be sure to check his experiment and discussion of his results in the video below.