Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency

Globally, the focus is on maximizing the energy yield and efficiency of PV systems as an essential renewable energy source. Different methods have been proposed to achieve this goal. Where the sun’s location in the sky is changed during the day, a tracking mechanism has been proposed as a promising...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rizgar Ahmed Salih, Karzan Qadir Mohammed, Peshawa Osman Hama, Rawaz Othman Hassan, Barham Kamal Noori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Baghdad 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://joe.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/main/article/view/3406
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832544291016146944
author Rizgar Ahmed Salih
Karzan Qadir Mohammed
Peshawa Osman Hama
Rawaz Othman Hassan
Barham Kamal Noori
author_facet Rizgar Ahmed Salih
Karzan Qadir Mohammed
Peshawa Osman Hama
Rawaz Othman Hassan
Barham Kamal Noori
author_sort Rizgar Ahmed Salih
collection DOAJ
description Globally, the focus is on maximizing the energy yield and efficiency of PV systems as an essential renewable energy source. Different methods have been proposed to achieve this goal. Where the sun’s location in the sky is changed during the day, a tracking mechanism has been proposed as a promising technology to harness the maximum amount of solar radiation by PV system as compared to the fixed panels. In this study, the design and implementation of a polar single-axis tracking system is presented to improve the energy efficiency of PV system through angular variation during the day using the proposed tracking system. This is achieved by interconnecting some devices that include GPS sensors and satellite dish actuators as the main components that are managed and controlled using astronomical equations. The designed system is tracked in a discrete manner that can be adjusted automatically during the day related to each degree change of azimuth angle of the sun from sunrise to sunset. The system has been field tested in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, to evaluate its performance in different weather conditions and compare it with a fixed PV system. The test results for the clear sky indicated that the increased amount of energy production for the tracking system is 36.6% as compared with the stationary panel. Whereas, for a mostly cloudy day the measured amount of increase was 18.5%. This improvement of the harnessed energy for PV systems is important to make the system more efficient and sustainable. 
format Article
id doaj-art-b64ac54d0b954d02ac4767f9abaf2a07
institution Kabale University
issn 1726-4073
2520-3339
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher University of Baghdad
record_format Article
series Journal of Engineering
spelling doaj-art-b64ac54d0b954d02ac4767f9abaf2a072025-02-03T10:42:22ZengUniversity of BaghdadJournal of Engineering1726-40732520-33392025-02-0131210.31026/j.eng.2025.02.06Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal EfficiencyRizgar Ahmed Salih0Karzan Qadir Mohammed1Peshawa Osman Hama2Rawaz Othman Hassan3Barham Kamal Noori4Department of Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of SulaimaniDepartment of Power and Control Engineering, Technical College of Engineering, Sulaimani Polytechnic UniversityDepartment of Power and Control Engineering, Technical College of Engineering, Sulaimani Polytechnic UniversityDepartment of Power and Control Engineering, Technical College of Engineering, Sulaimani Polytechnic UniversityDepartment of Power and Control Engineering, Technical College of Engineering, Sulaimani Polytechnic University Globally, the focus is on maximizing the energy yield and efficiency of PV systems as an essential renewable energy source. Different methods have been proposed to achieve this goal. Where the sun’s location in the sky is changed during the day, a tracking mechanism has been proposed as a promising technology to harness the maximum amount of solar radiation by PV system as compared to the fixed panels. In this study, the design and implementation of a polar single-axis tracking system is presented to improve the energy efficiency of PV system through angular variation during the day using the proposed tracking system. This is achieved by interconnecting some devices that include GPS sensors and satellite dish actuators as the main components that are managed and controlled using astronomical equations. The designed system is tracked in a discrete manner that can be adjusted automatically during the day related to each degree change of azimuth angle of the sun from sunrise to sunset. The system has been field tested in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, to evaluate its performance in different weather conditions and compare it with a fixed PV system. The test results for the clear sky indicated that the increased amount of energy production for the tracking system is 36.6% as compared with the stationary panel. Whereas, for a mostly cloudy day the measured amount of increase was 18.5%. This improvement of the harnessed energy for PV systems is important to make the system more efficient and sustainable.  https://joe.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/main/article/view/3406Solar trackingAstronomical equationsSatellite dish actuatorRenewable energy
spellingShingle Rizgar Ahmed Salih
Karzan Qadir Mohammed
Peshawa Osman Hama
Rawaz Othman Hassan
Barham Kamal Noori
Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
Journal of Engineering
Solar tracking
Astronomical equations
Satellite dish actuator
Renewable energy
title Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
title_full Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
title_fullStr Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
title_full_unstemmed Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
title_short Design and Implementation of Single Axis Solar Tracking System: Utilizing GPS, Astronomical Equations, and Satellite Dish Actuator for Optimal Efficiency
title_sort design and implementation of single axis solar tracking system utilizing gps astronomical equations and satellite dish actuator for optimal efficiency
topic Solar tracking
Astronomical equations
Satellite dish actuator
Renewable energy
url https://joe.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/main/article/view/3406
work_keys_str_mv AT rizgarahmedsalih designandimplementationofsingleaxissolartrackingsystemutilizinggpsastronomicalequationsandsatellitedishactuatorforoptimalefficiency
AT karzanqadirmohammed designandimplementationofsingleaxissolartrackingsystemutilizinggpsastronomicalequationsandsatellitedishactuatorforoptimalefficiency
AT peshawaosmanhama designandimplementationofsingleaxissolartrackingsystemutilizinggpsastronomicalequationsandsatellitedishactuatorforoptimalefficiency
AT rawazothmanhassan designandimplementationofsingleaxissolartrackingsystemutilizinggpsastronomicalequationsandsatellitedishactuatorforoptimalefficiency
AT barhamkamalnoori designandimplementationofsingleaxissolartrackingsystemutilizinggpsastronomicalequationsandsatellitedishactuatorforoptimalefficiency