review · Information
Solar energy provides clean and abundant power, with panels generating electricity for various electrical uses, including in rural areas. Maximum power output requires panels to remain perpendicular to the sun, an orientation that fixed systems achieve for only a few hours per day. Automatic tracking technologies address this shortfall by adjusting panel angles over time. Existing literature lacks comprehensive surveys and taxonomies to chart development trends. A detailed classification of time-based tracking systems according to axis rotation and drive types resolves this absence. Synthesising lessons learned from these configurations provides clarity on tracking trends while outlining critical open research issues for future technological development.
Solar power systems are vital for expanding electricity access, particularly across rural regions. Because fixed panels capture maximum sunlight for only brief windows, tracking mechanisms are essential for improving overall energy yields. Providing a clear taxonomy of drive types and rotational axes helps researchers and developers identify proven design options and focus on unresolved technical challenges.
The work focuses on categorising and evaluating time-based solar tracking hardware by axis rotation and drive mechanisms. This analysis assists renewable energy engineers and hardware developers seeking to optimise solar panel energy output, especially for rural electrification projects. As a literature review mapping existing systems and open research issues, it represents early-stage conceptual synthesis rather than a direct commercial prototype or near-market product.
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Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant form of energy that can be obtained from the Sun. Solar panels convert this energy to generate solar power, which can be used for various electrical purposes, particularly in rural areas. Maximum solar power can be generated only when the Sun is perpendicular to the panel, which can be achieved only for a few hours when using a fixed solar panel system, hence the development of an automatic solar tracking system. Over the years, different solar tracking systems have been proposed and developed, and a few have been reviewed in the literature. However, the existing review works have not adequately provided a comprehensive survey and taxonomies of these solar tracking systems to show the trends and possible further research direction. This paper aims to bridge these gaps by extensively reviewing these time-based solar tracking systems based on axis rotation and drive types. Lessons learned from the comprehensive review have been highlighted and discussed. Finally, critical open research issues are identified and elaborated.
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DOI: 10.3390/info14040211
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