International Journal of Applied Power Engineering (IJAPE)

Vol. 13, No. 2, June 2024, pp. 328~334

ISSN: 2252-8792, DOI: 10.11591/ijape.v13.i2.pp328-334  328

Comparative analysis of single-axis solar tracker performance

with and without reflector under various weather conditions

Vicky Andria Kusuma1, Aji Akbar Firdaus2, Sena Sukmananda Suprapto1, Risty Jayanti Yuniar1,
Hanif Trimulya1, Yun Tonce Kusuma Priyanto1
1
Department of Electrical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Kalimantan, Balikpapan, Indonesia
2
Department of Engineering, Faculty of Vocational, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia

Article Info ABSTRACT

Article history: This research explores a sun tracking system for solar panels that affects the
power output of the panels. To address this, a unidirectional sun tracking
Received Jul 25, 2023 system is implemented to ensure the solar panels are perpendicular to the
Revised Aug 3, 2023 sun, thus optimizing solar radiation. Additionally, reflectors are integrated to
Accepted Sep 6, 2023 capture more sunlight. This research aims to design the system of
unidirectional sun tracking to enhance the power output generated by solar
panels and compare its performance with stationary (static) solar panels. The
Keywords: results demonstrate that the system of sun tracking improves the power
output of solar panels. However, when reflectors are used in conjunction
Power output with the sun tracking system, no significant increase in power output is
Photovoltaic analysis observed. Moreover, solar panels equipped with the unidirectional sun
Reflectors tracking system exhibit a power increase of 52.06 Watts compared to
Solar panels stationary solar panels. This research indicates that employing a
Solar tracking unidirectional sun tracking system with the addition of reflectors does not
enhance power output but instead reduces it due to the increased temperature
effect caused by the sunlight reflection from the added reflectors.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license.

Corresponding Author:
Aji Akbar Firdaus
Department of Engineering, Faculty of Vocational, Airlangga University
Surabaya, Indonesia
Email: [email protected]

1. INTRODUCTION
Indonesia is located on the equator where the sun illuminates the Earth's surface throughout the year.
In total, Indonesia can receive solar energy up to 4.8 kWh/m2/day [1]. This provides a foundation for the
utilization of environmentally friendly solar energy as part of the effort to optimize the use of renewable
energy sources through solar power plants (SPPs) [2], [3]. The employment of solar energy for electricity
generation is projected to increase by 18% from 2013 to 2050 [4], [5].
Solar panels, one of the main parts used in SPPs, have the ability to directly convert solar radiation
into electricity [6]. The relatively low efficiency of solar panels is still evident [7]. The significant obstacle
posed by the limited efficiency of solar panels necessitates the implementation of a system to enhance their
efficiency [8]. One approach to addressing this issue is the utilization of sun tracking systems [9], [10]. These
systems ensure that solar panels are always positioned perpendicular to the sun, thus maximizing solar energy
absorption [11], [12]. Additionally, reflectors can be added to the solar panels to increase the amount of
sunlight reaching their surface [13]–[15]. By utilizing reflectors, the total solar irradiance incident on the
solar panel's surface is augmented, resulting in a higher electrical power output. Consequently, it is
hypothesized that with an increase in the electrical power output, the overall efficiency of the solar panel will
also improve.

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Int J Appl Power Eng ISSN: 2252-8792  329

Based on a comprehensive review of existing literature, it is evident that further exploration is

necessary to expand and refine current knowledge on sun tracking systems and reflectors. Therefore, a sun
tracking mechanism coupled with the incorporation of reflectors is proposed with the overarching objective
of optimizing the power output of solar panels. This research endeavor holds significant potential for
advancing the field of solar energy utilization and enhancing the efficiency of solar power generation
systems. This research is provided insights into the effectiveness of integrating reflectors into a solar panel
system with a tracker.

2. METHOD
This research aims to automatically design a unidirectional solar tracking system on solar panels
using a microcontroller to enhance the solar panel's power output. The design utilizes a solar tracking system
method controlled by Arduino Uno to regulate the movement of a servo motor that positions the solar
panel [16], [17]. In Figure 1(a), the wiring control system of the device is depicted. Meanwhile,
Figure 1(b) illustrates the integrated electronic circuitry within the panel box. The device's operation
utilizes C programming logic with the Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) software. The
Arduino IDE contains several commands that control the servo motor's rotation direction based on the light
intensity. Light intensity is identified with the assistance of a light dependent resistor (LDR) sensor, which is
converted into resistance values [18], [19]. Following the rule of placing the solar tracking system axis facing
north-south, the servo motor rotates towards the east if the LDR reads a higher resistance value on the west
side than the east [20]. Conversely, if the resistance value on the east side is higher than the west side, the
servo motor rotates towards the west. The placement design of the LDR sensor and the design of the one-way
solar tracking system are shown in Figure 2(a).
In Figure 2(b), two solar panels are used: i) The first panel is equipped with a one-way solar
tracking system; ii) While the second panel includes a one-way solar tracking system with the addition of
reflectors; and iii) The three solar panels will be placed in the same locations and conditions as shown in
Figures 3(a) and 3(b). In this research, we use GH solar photovoltaic which has specifications as shown in
Table 1. voltage (V) and current (I) data will be collected hourly from each panel, requiring the solar panels
to be loaded. A 12 V DC battery will be the load [21]. In this study, the solar tracking system will be
powered by a different source, namely the national electricity company (grid utility). The entire data display,
including solar panel power output (P) and temperature [22], will be simulated simultaneously and compared
between the static solar panel, the system of one-way solar tracking, and the solar panel with the system of
one-way solar tracking and reflector addition [23], [24]. Subsequently, the power data obtained through
measurements will be compared with the calculated power using (1) to determine the magnitude of the power
differences produced [25].
𝐺𝑐
𝑃𝑝𝑣 = 𝑃𝑠𝑡𝑐 (1 + 𝑘(𝑇𝑐 − 𝑇𝑠𝑡𝑐)) (1)
𝐺𝑠𝑡𝑐

Where 𝑃 solar panel is the power output of the solar panel, the standard test conditions (𝑠𝑡𝑐) mean that the
solar irradiance (𝐺𝑠𝑡𝑐) is W/m2, the solar panel temperature (𝑇𝑠𝑡𝑐) is 25 °C, and the relative optical air mass
is in condition air masses 1.5. 𝐺𝑐 is the operating radiation at the time of measurement, k is the maximum
power temperature coefficient, 𝑃𝑠𝑡𝑐 is the power output value under 𝑠𝑡𝑐, and 𝑇𝑐 is the solar panel operating
temperature at the measurement time.

Table 1. GH solar photovoltaic specification

Name Information
Model GH50P-36
Rate max. power (Pm) 50 W
PV tolerance 0~+5
Current at Pmax (Imp) 2.72 A
Voltage at Pmax (Vmp) 18.4 V
Short-circuit current (Isc) 22.6 V
Open-circuit voltage (Voc) 2.94 A
Normal operating cell temp (NOCT) 47÷2 °C
Max. series fuse rating 10 A
Max. system voltage 1000 VDC
Operating temperature 40 to + 85 °C
Application class Class A
Cell technology Poly - SI
PV weight 3.65 kg
Dimension (mm) 540*670*30 mm

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330  ISSN: 2252-8792

(a) (b)

Figure 1. Illustrates the solar power plant in the form of (a) a schematic diagram and
(b) the assembled configuration in the panel box

(a) (b)

Figure 2. The 3D design of the solar power plant along with (a) the components
arrangement and (b) the added reflector

(a) (b)

Figure 3. The testing of the solar power plant utilizing (a) a tracker and (b) both the tracker and reflector

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The experiment's main objective is to design a one-way solar tracking system on solar panels using a
microcontroller and compare it with solar panels equipped with a one-way solar tracking system and reflector
addition to determine the difference in power output from the solar panels. The research was conducted in the
Laboratory Building of Kalimantan Institute of Technology environment from 08:00 GMT+8 to 16:00
GMT+8. The solar panel is positioned at an inclination angle of 25° for the static (stationary) panel with
a north-facing orientation. The output current, voltage, power, and solar irradiance are measured every
60 minutes during the testing. The testing is conducted by placing all three solar panels under standard
conditions at the same location and conditions.
After equipment testing and data collection, the obtained results are in the form of comparison
graphs of the power output generated by the static (stationary) solar panel, the solar panel with a one-way

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Int J Appl Power Eng ISSN: 2252-8792  331

solar tracking system, and the solar panel with a one-way solar tracking system and reflector addition. Then,
in Figure 4, it can be observed that the static solar panel has an average power of 34.63 Watts, the solar panel
with a one-way solar tracking system has an average power of 40.41 Watts, and the solar panel with
a one-way solar tracking system and reflector addition has an average power of 38.18 Watts. It is further
noted that the measurement of the solar panel with a one-way solar tracking system and reflector addition
resulted in lower power output compared to the solar panel with a one-way solar tracking system without a
reflector. Here, this data is verified by calculations using (1) taken from one of the data on the power output
of the one-way solar tracking system with reflector addition at 12 noon, where the power output obtained was
lower than that of the solar panel with a one-way solar tracking system without a reflector, which should
have been 51.84 Watts.

Figure 4. The results of the comparative testing of the power output from the solar power plant in three
scenarios: without a tracker, with a tracker, and with both a tracker and reflector

The data utilized in these calculations serves as the fundamental reference basis, as having a more
extensive dataset enhances the accuracy of the average values. Table 2 presents the results obtained from
both manual calculations and measurements taken at the same hours, from 08:00 to 16:00 GMT+8. The
calculated power values can be determined by utilizing solar irradiance and solar panel temperature data
during the measurements. The power differences can then be determined by comparing the measured and
calculated power values from Figures 5 and 6. The difference in power output between the solar panel with a
tracking system and the tracking system with reflector addition was found to be 20.05 Watts, indicating that
the one-way solar tracking system method has been proven to enhance the solar panel's power output. The
research also stated that solar tracking with reflector additions on both sides of the panel can increase the
electrical energy obtained by the solar panel, with a percentage increase in energy in a day reaching up to
75.20% compared to statically installed solar panels. The energy consumption required to operate the
tracking system is less than 0.15% of the total energy that the solar panel can generate.

Table 2. The results of two cases of photovoltaic calculation and measurement

Photovoltaic using tracker Photovoltaic using tracker and reflector
Time
Calculation (W) Measurement (W) Calculation (W) Measurement (W)
08.00 41.2 38.5 41.2 35.9
09.00 41.4 39.3 41.2 39.4
10.00 43.7 38.1 43.6 38.7
11.00 45.2 40.4 44.9 39.6
12.00 53.1 45.9 51.8 36.3
13.00 44.5 42.8 44.2 40.7
14.00 44.4 40.5 43.7 37.1
15.00 43.6 38.4 42.9 38.2
16.00 43.0 39.4 42.4 37.4

In this research, it has been found that high temperatures can lead to a decrease in efficiency, as
demonstrated through experimental measurements and mathematical calculations. In a photovoltaic

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332  ISSN: 2252-8792

specification, there is a reference to the nominal temperature for standard test conditions, and if the nominal
temperature is too high, it will result in a reduction of effectiveness in the photovoltaic power output.
Therefore, a reflector that can reflect light or irradiation while minimizing the reflection of heat from the sun,
such as an aluminum foil-based light reflector, is required.

Figure 5. The results of the comparison between Figure 6. The results of the comparison between
photovoltaic using tracker based on photovoltaic using tracker and reflector
calculations and measurements based on calculations and measurements

4. CONCLUSION
Based on the results of the analysis conducted in this study, we found that the temperature increase
observed in solar panels with the addition of reflectors is attributed to the reflectors absorbing and reflecting
additional sunlight onto the solar panel. While the reflectors aim to enhance the light reception of the panel,
this process also leads to a significant rise in heat. Consequently, the elevated temperature reduces the
efficiency of solar energy conversion into electrical power, resulting in a decline in average power output.
Furthermore, we observed that the temperature increase in the solar panel is directly proportional to the
intensity of received sunlight and the duration of exposure. Hence, the reduction in power output is more
pronounced during sunny weather conditions and when the solar panel receives prolonged high-intensity
sunlight exposure.
Nonetheless, the findings of this research contribute valuable insights to the development of solar
panels and tracking systems. These results underscore the importance of a deeper understanding of the impact
of temperature on solar panel efficiency and highlight the necessity for appropriate strategies to address this
issue. As a next step, we intend to investigate the potential implementation of cooling or temperature
regulation technologies on solar panels with tracking systems, with the aim of mitigating the negative effects
of temperature rise on panel efficiency. Thus, it is hoped that this research can serve as a foundation for the
advancement of superior and more efficient solar panel technologies in the future.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS

Vicky Andria Kusuma was born in Indonesia. He has an engineering degree in

electrical engineering from Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia, and
a master's degree in electrical engineering from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember in
Indonesia. He is currently a lecturer in electrical engineering at Kalimantan University of
Technology, Indonesia. He can be contacted at email: [email protected].

Aji Akbar Firdaus received his master of engineering degree from the
Department of Electrical Engineering, in 2015, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS),
Surabaya, Indonesia. He is currently a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Engineering,
Airlangga University. His research interests include power system simulation, power system
analysis, power system stability, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence. He can be
contacted at email: [email protected].

Comparative analysis of single-axis solar tracker performance … (Vicky Andria Kusuma)

334  ISSN: 2252-8792

Sena Sukmananda Suprapto holds a bachelor's degree in engineering physics

from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, and a master's degree in electrical engineering
from Bandung Institute of Technology. He is a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering lecturer at
Kalimantan University of Technology. His research interests are computer his vision,
biomechanics, sports science, and internet of thing (IoT). He can be contacted at email:
[email protected].

Risty Jayanti Yuniar work as a lecturer at the Kalimantan Institute of

Technology. She received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Brawijaya University,
Malang. Her research focuses on control systems, instrumentation, and electronics. She can be
contacted at email: [email protected].

Hanif Trimulya received his bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from

Kalimantan University of Technology. He is a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering student at
Kalimantan University of Technology. His research focus is on energy systems. He can be
contacted at email: [email protected].

Yun Tonce Kusuma Priyanto received his bachelor's degree in electrical

engineering from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember and a master's degree in Electrical
Engineering from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember. As a Bachelor of Electrical
Engineering Lecturer at Kalimantan Institute of Technology, his research interests include
energy systems and artificial intelligence. He can be contacted at email: [email protected].

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