Modeling and Analysis of a Dynamic Smart Solar Panel System for Harvesting Solar Energy in Remote Areas

This paper presents the preliminary results of modeling and analysis of a dynamic smart solar panel system for harvesting solar energy in remote areas. A physical model of the dynamic smart solar panel system was developed actuated by two servomotors. As a result, it was a 2DOF system prototype. The first servomotor was used with an aim of adjusting the inclination angle of the solar panel system toward the position of sunlight, and the second servomotor was used with an aim of adjusting the orientation of the solar panel system about the orientation of the sun in real time so maximum sunlight could hit the solar panels during its operations. Considering the dynamic nature of the system, we proposed a dynamic model of the system for the rotation of the second servomotor (i.e., the rotation of the entire solar system actuated by the servomotor) with respect to the sun. We then simulated the dynamic model in MATLAB and obtained dynamic characteristics of the system in terms of step response, impulse response, ramp response, Bode response, Root Locus response, and Nyquist response. We analyzed the dynamic characteristics of the system based on those responses and tried to propose a set of system parameters to optimize the design of the prototype that could demonstrate the best possible dynamic characteristics of the system to cope with changes in the operating conditions of the dynamic system in uncertain remote environments. The results obtained through the simulation studies demonstrated satisfactory stability, accuracy, and fastness of the system responses under dynamic conditions. Though the results obtained in the simulation were specific to the small system we prototyped, the approach we presented here can be extremely useful to optimize the design of large, smart, and dynamic solar panel systems for harvesting solar energy for remote applications such as powering irrigation systems and greenhouses for agriculture and farming, powering autonomous devices for search and rescue operations and disaster management, powering equipment for military operations, etc.