Design of a Real-Time Automatic Solar Tracker System on Solar Panels Based on RTC and Servo Motor
Keywords:
Solar Tracker, Solar Energy, Solar Panel, Real-Time, RTC ModuleAbstract
The increasing demand for energy has driven the need to develop efficient and environmentally friendly renewable energy sources. One of the most promising alternative energy sources in Indonesia is solar energy. However, the efficiency of conventional solar panels remains relatively low due to their fixed position, while the direction of sunlight changes from morning to afternoon. This study aims to design a real-time automatic solar tracker system capable of adjusting the orientation of solar panels according to the sun’s movement based on actual time. The system is controlled by an Arduino Nano microcontroller supported by a Real Time Clock (RTC) DS3231 module as a time controller and an MG996R servo motor as the panel orientation actuator. The test results show that the system can automatically move the panel with an average rotation of 8° every 30 minutes, from 08:00 to 17:00 local time. Based on measurement data, the use of a solar tracker increases the solar panel’s power output by up to ±30% compared to a static panel without tracking. This system has been proven to significantly improve solar energy absorption efficiency and can be applied to both household and industrial scales in regions with high sunlight intensity.
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