Sun-Tracking Solar System
This project maximizes solar panel efficiency by automatically rotating the panel to face the sun throughout the day using real-time light sensing and servo actuation.
🔧 Tech Stack
- Microcontroller: STM32 (ARM Cortex-M series)
- Sensors: Light-sensing diodes (LDRs)
- Control: Direction-switching IC (exact chip name TBD)
- Actuation: Servo motors
- Firmware: Bare-metal C
What It Does
The system detects sunlight intensity from multiple angles using light-sensing diodes. Based on this input, it determines where the sun is and rotates the panel toward it using dual-axis motion.
The goal: maximize solar energy capture without using GPS or time-based algorithms.
Highlights
- Dual-axis tracking for full daylight coverage
- Real-time analog feedback from LDRs
- Efficient energy usage: Only moves when the sun’s position changes significantly
- Improved yield: Up to 30% more solar energy compared to fixed panels
- Low-cost components, designed with scalability in mind for rural deployment
What I Learned
- Fine-tuning analog signal thresholds in harsh sunlight
- Using PWM with STM32 timers for motor control
- Balancing responsiveness with power efficiency
- Debugging servo jitter and feedback noise
This system is still evolving. I’m exploring adding weather-awareness, IoT logging, and auto-calibration based on seasonal shifts.
📌 Follow along weekly right here or catch me on LinkedIn. I’m documenting the grind so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.