Impact of wind and shading on energy contribution by photovoltaic panels with axis tracking system

The need of the tracking system for solar photovoltaic panel arises to extract maximum solar energy. This paper involves the mathematical simulation and control of fixed, single and dual axis solar tracking system for solar photovoltaic panel. The tracking system can be installed in the regions considered rich in solar energy. The dual axis solar photovoltaic panel is characterized by the capability to move in horizontal and vertical directions. The vertical and horizontal motion of the panel is obtained by taking altitude angle and azimuth angle as reference. The mechanical design consists of rotary joints and two DC motors. This tracking system makes the solar photovoltaic array more efficient by keeping the panel´s face perpendicular to the sun and therefore extracts maximum solar energy resulting into increased overall efficiency. Point to point control ensures intermittent motion when tracking the sun. The performance has been studied with data for various regions. It is found that tracking system is effective in pointing the solar array toward the sun. This paper includes the estimation of the energy produced at various major Asian cities under fixed, single and dual axis tracking.