An Educational Dual-Axis Solar Tracker for Varying PV Module Sizes and Varying Solar Tracking and MPPT Algorithms

Solar PV technologies have a relatively low energy conversion efficiency as compared to other energy technologies. Hence, getting the most out of a PV module is crucial. Most installed PV systems have a fixed azimuth and inclination angle. However, solar tracking has the capability to improve the power output of a module, especially under certain prevailing outdoor conditions. In this work, a dual-axis solar tracker employing two linear actuators was designed and implemented. Its performance was assessed using a monocrystalline PV module, whose output energy was compared to that of a static PV module under cloudy and sunny conditions. Moreover, for the prevailing tropical weather of Mauritius, a water-cooling system was also incorporated, in order to maintain a low module temperature during extreme temperatures. Perturb and observe solar tracking alongside the maximum power point tracking algorithm resulted in 26.6 %, 54.4 %, and 44.1 % energy gain for cloudy, sunny and sunny alongside water cooling scenarios respectively.