LOW-COST SOLAR TRACKING WITH ANGULAR CONTROL USING GYROSCOPE AND LDR SENSORS

Resumo

The growing demand for alternative and sustainable energy sources has driven the development of systems that improve the efficiency of solar energy capture. Among these alternatives, solar tracking systems have stood out as an effective solution to maximize sunlight utilization throughout the day by dynamically adjusting the position of solar panels according to the Sun's movement. In this context, this work proposes the development of an automated solar tracking system aimed at optimizing light capture in photovoltaic panels. The system is composed of light sensors, a stepper motor, a microcontroller, and a gyroscope sensor, integrated into a control logic that enables autonomous movement of the panel toward the highest light intensity. The operating logic is based on a proportional approach, considering both the variation in sensor readings and the angular calculation based on the gyroscope data. The project was developed with a focus on low cost and ease of implementation. Practical tests were conducted for component calibration and system validation, demonstrating that the tracker can accurately respond to changes in ambient lighting, improving solar energy utilization by 4.29%, even when using a control system that consumes a certain amount of energy. Keywords: Solar tracking; Photovoltaic system; Low-cost automation;