Embedded Lab

Maximizing power output from a solar system is desirable to increase efficiency. One way of maximizing power output is by keeping the solar panels always aligned with the sun. This requires a means of tracking the sun. Here is an mbed powered solar tracker that continuously keeps track of the sun and points the solar panels directly towards the sun all the time.

mbed powered solar tracker

The project uses two smaller solar cells (besides the large solar pannels) placed right angle to each other. The alignment of the big solar panels and smaller solar cells is such that when the solar panels are directly facing to the sun, the output voltages from then two smaller cells are almost equal. The mbed microcontroller reads the voltages via two of its analog inputs, compare them, and rotates a motor connected to the antenna rotator to move it so as to keep the voltages from the two solar cells nearly equal.