How to Build a Simple Solar Tracker for Maximum Efficiency

How to Build a Simple Solar Tracker for Maximum Efficiency

A solar tracker is a device that orients solar panels toward the sun to maximize energy capture throughout the day. By automatically adjusting the angle of solar panels, a solar tracker can increase their efficiency by up to 40% compared to stationary systems. This article will walk you through the design, components, and construction of a simple solar tracker for maximum efficiency. Why Build a Solar Tracker? The sun moves across the sky throughout the day, so a fixed-position solar panel does not capture the maximum possible energy. By dynamically adjusting the angle of the solar panel to follow the sun's path, a solar tracker increases the total amount of sunlight hitting the panel, leading to higher power generation. Solar trackers are particularly useful in large-scale solar farms but can also be implemented in smaller residential or off-grid solar systems. Types of Solar Trackers Solar trackers generally come in two forms: Single-axis trackers: These systems rotate the solar pane…