Electric Power Components and Systems

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Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking

Solar Panel Performance Evaluation

P. Magudeswaran & P. Sakthivel

To cite this article: P. Magudeswaran & P. Sakthivel (2023): Internet of Things Based Horizontal
Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation, Electric Power Components and Systems,
DOI: 10.1080/15325008.2023.2243940

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15325008.2023.2243940

Published online: 12 Aug 2023.

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Electric Power Components and Systems, 0(0): 1–19, 2023
# 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1532-5008 print / 1532-5016 online
DOI: 10.1080/15325008.2023.2243940

Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking

Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
P. Magudeswaran1 and P. Sakthivel2
1
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Vivekanandha College of Engineering for Women, Tiruchengode,
Tamil Nadu, India
2
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Velalar College of Engineering & Technology, Erode, Tamil Nadu,
India

CONTENTS
Abstract—Renewable energy is undergoing significant
1. Introduction advancements through the utilization of new technologies. Among
these technologies, fixed solar panels serve as a fundamental type
2. Design Initialization
of solar photovoltaic energy generator. Monitoring and optimizing
3. Whale Optimization Algorithm the performance of these panels is achieved through the
4. Results and Discussions implementation of controller algorithms. However, there is a
5. Conclusion growing emphasis on axis tracking systems for solar panels, as
that has the feasible to extract more power compared to fixed
References panels. In this context, the integration of the Internet of Things
(IoT), big data analytics, deep learning, and cloud computing
presents a contemporary solution for addressing various challenges
associated with monitoring renewable solar energy systems. By
employing sensors and actuators grouped within an IoT
framework, real-time data can be extracted and stored in a cloud
server, allowing remote access from anywhere. Furthermore, the
use of meta-heuristic optimization algorithms, such as the Whale
Optimization Algorithm, has become commonplace in solving
engineering issues. In this proposed system, the performance of
horizontal axis trackers is analyzed and compared with fixed
panels using the WOA-based axis tracking analysis. Through the
application of a control algorithm, optimal values can be obtained
under typical weather conditions. The system’s simulation and
performance are thoroughly assessed and evaluated.

Keywords: Internet of things, algorithm, optimization, solar panel, tracker
Received 13 April 2023; accepted 27 July 2023
Address correspondence to P. Magudeswaran, Department of Electrical
and Electronic Engineering, Vivekanandha College of Engineering for
Women, Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu 637205, India. E-mail:
magudeswaranp4@gmail.com
1. INTRODUCTION
During the preceding five years, 70,000 solar panels are
expected to be added per hour globally. There are numer-
ous varieties of solar panels availed the market today.
Also, the efficiency and output power increase substantially
depending on the type [1]. Monitoring refers to supervising
the existing appliance or system with some prominent
parameters. The YOLOv3 algorithm may be applied to the
Internet of Things (IoT) based monitoring systems in a
healthcare setting. Using this efficient Smart healthcare sur-
veillance is possible [2,3]. Smart security systems for
homes built on the Internet of Things that was developed
and tested on a mobile network. With this effort, the

1
2 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0
NOMENCLATURE
IoT Internet of Things
PV Photovoltaic
WOA Whale Optimization Algorithm
YOLOv3 You Only Look Once Version 3 (an object detection
algorithm)
system is location autonomous and the user may get notifi-
cations from anywhere using the Raspberry Pi and GSM
networks [4]. The design of the SMARTIE, a platform for
the Internet of Things for the secure and confidentiality
dissemination of data in smart communities, will be devel-
oped by IoT-ARM [5]. Using an internet-based programme
and a PIC microcontroller, you may monitor a distant solar
power plant’s parameters of performance [6]. An embedded
microprocessor on an Arduino board with a GPRS modem
monitors solar energy [7]. Through straightforward pins
attached to the solar panel, Arduino measures both voltage
and energy. A freely available cloud platform called
Things Speak is utilized for storing and retrieving data [8–
9]. The sensor device and solar panel are connected using
an Arduino. The data is sent via a Wi-Fi module to the ser-
ver and then returned to the system [10]. Chang-Sic Choi
et. al. carried out work with renewable energy plants con-
trolled with a long-range network (LoRA). The design was
done using Raspberry pi [11,12].
Compared to the cosine of the panel’s misalignment
with the Sun, a flat-panel solar collector’s efficient collect-
ing area is larger. So, tracking the solar angle is one of the
best options to collect more power from the sun. Any sys-
tem must have monitoring as a crucial part of it. An
improved tracking system is ensured by the employment of
LDR sensors and highest accuracy of current and voltage
sensors [13]. 4 LDR-based sun axis trackers sensors pro-
vide a median voltage of 19.40 volts in sunny conditions,
18.05 volts in overcast conditions, and 13.60 volts in rainy
conditions [14].
Using various randomization qualities, metaheuristic
algorithms like whale optimization algorithms (WOA)
attempt to repeatedly improve the outcome. The vast
majority of these computations are influenced by biological
factors. Metaheuristic computations, in contrast to deter-
ministic solution techniques, are not impacted by the
behavior of the optimization issue [15]. Temperature is one
of the influential factors which is directly proportional to
the resulting voltage. the usage of Thinger and
AppInventor on mobile devices. Io is highly useful for
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications (a standard
for cellular networks)
keeping track of the performance of devices [16]. The
unprocessed data is processed by the IoT-centric solar
trackers to acquire data, which is then transmitted to a dis-
tant central point for additional processing and administra-
tion [17]. To better understand the output of the solar cell,
temperatures and cloud cover sensors might be included. In
order to accurately and continuously improve self-monitor-
ing, all processing is done employing an algorithm for seg-
mentation and filters to forecast the correct angle of the
sun in situations like overcast days, rainy days, dust, etc.
The computation that determines the variation between the
actual information saved and the intended data is per-
formed using an ANN (artificial neural network) technique.
Solar Trackers are designed using either electronic circuits
or electromechanical fixtures [18]. Sensors, a microcontrol-
ler such as an ESP8266, a cloud server, Node-RED soft-
ware, a grid-tie inverter, and solar panels make up the
planned 2-axis solar tracking IoT systems. The production
is 30% higher than with the earlier installed equipment
[19]. Single-point, single-axis solar trackers follow the sun
from east to west. Panels that use dual-axis trackers
revolve on the X and Y axes in order to follow the sun
accurately. To maximize the energy received from the sun,
dual solar axis monitoring modifies both altitudes and azi-
muth angles [20]. The motions in dual-axis solar tracking
are two. It may be divided into horizontal and vertical cate-
gories. 2 180-degree servomotors are responsible for both
motions. The automated tracking of the sun’s location
using a dual axis solar tracker increases solar output. The
system in this instance uses a Raspberry Pi. The tracking
mobile app Blynk can enhance the overall performance of
the monitoring system [21].
The energy management and control strategies for
renewable energy resources, specifically solar and electro-
magnetic (EM) waves propose the use of a neural network
model for PV and RF signal generation and utilizes MPPT
tracking and rectenna for efficient energy utilization.
However, the random selection and lack of capability for
hybrid resources of multiple array functioning during sys-
tem utilization and switching [22]. The power harvesting
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation 3

system used in greenhouses is the main focus of the 2. DESIGN INITIALIZATION

improved optimization approach for power harvesting sys-
2.1. Outline of the Proposed System
tems with grid-linked electricity. The authors review vari-
ous aspects, including energy harvesting techniques, Building an IoT-based horizontal axis solar panel monitor-
optimization algorithms, grid connection for power man- ing system requires several hardware components, includ-
agement, and greenhouse systems [23]. When contrasted to ing the solar panel, IoT sensors, microcontroller,
conventional cyber-attack detection methods, an integrated connectivity, power supply, and cloud-based platform. The
Internet of Things (IoT) structure employing a deep neural components should be compatible with each other and
network (DNN) for dependable and safe online monitoring meet the system’s power and data requirements. With the
of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) has been devel- right hardware components and a well-designed system,
oped. But the architecture does not provide detailed infor- solar panel monitoring can be automated and optimized,
mation on the scalability and resource requirements of ensuring maximum efficiency and energy savings.
implementing the suggested IoT structure depending on a IoT sensors are used to collect data from the solar panel
deep neural network [24]. IoT and deep learning are used system, such as energy generation, temperature, voltage
in the fault detection and rectification method for induction and current levels, and orientation Figure 1. The sensors
motors, with an emphasis on bearing issues. It uses field should be durable, reliable, and accurate, and should com-
testing on a genuine motor to show the potency and reli- municate the data to the cloud based platform for analysis
ability of the suggested technique. However, the paper and processing. A light sensor is used to measure the
does not provide detailed information on the specific deep amount of sunlight falling on the solar panel. This informa-
learning model architecture used, which may limit the tion can be used to determine the panel’s orientation and
reproducibility and understanding of the proposed adjust the tracker’s position to optimize the panel’s output.
approach [25]. The quantity of solar energy that a solar panel receives is
referred to as solar irradiance. Monitoring solar irradiance
can help to optimize the positioning of the solar panel for
Efficiency
Solar cell type Rate Advantages Disadvantages maximum energy capture. The solar panel’s temperature is
gauged using a temperature sensor. The effectiveness of
Mono crystalline 20% High life Expensive solar panels declines with rising temperatures. The solar
solar value, high
panel’s effectiveness may be enhanced and overheating can
panel(mono- Efficiency
SI) rate be avoided by keeping an eye on its temperature. This
Polycrystalline 15% Lower price Low lifetime, information is important in determining the panel’s effi-
solar panels sensitive to ciency and can help detect any temperature-related issues
hot that may affect the panel’s output. The voltage and current
temperature
produced by the solar panel are measured using voltage
Thin-film 7–10% Lower cost Shorter life
Amorphous spans. and current sensors. These sensors help determine the pan-
el’s output power and also detect any issues with the pan-
el’s wiring or electrical components. These parameters
Contribution of the work: provide information about the electrical outputs of the solar

The proposed system utilizes the IoT, big data ana- panels. Monitoring voltage and current can help to detect
lytics, DL, and cloud computing to monitor and opti- any issues with the solar panel’s electrical system and
mize the performance of solar photovoltaic energy ensure that it is functioning properly. Tilt and orientation
generators. sensors are used to detect the panel’s angle and orientation.

The use of the WOA in the analysis of horizontal axis
Monitoring the solar panel’s tilt angle and the orientation
trackers allows for the identification of optimal values
can help it function better and make sure it is positioned
for improved power generation in varying weather
conditions. appropriately for optimal energy absorption. This informa-

The work offers a comprehensive approach to enhanc- tion is used to determine the panel’s optimal orientation for
ing the overall efficiency of renewable solar energy maximum sunlight exposure and to adjust the panel’s pos-
systems, leveraging advanced technologies and algo- ition to optimize its output.
rithms to maximize power output and provide real- Environmental sensors such as humidity, wind speed,
time monitoring capabilities. and rainfall sensors can be used to collect data about the
4 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0
FIGURE 1. Sensors used in solar panel.
weather conditions around the solar panel system. This
data can help in predicting the panel’s output and detecting
any weather-related issues that may affect its performance.
The location of the solar panel may be improved by keep-
ing an eye on weather factors like humidity and wind
speed, which can also assist to prevent damage from bad
weather. The energy produced by the system of solar pan-
els is measured using energy meters. This data can be used
to monitor the system’s performance, detect any issues
with the system, and optimize its operation. In addition to
these sensors, other IoT devices such as cameras and
microphones can also be used to monitor the solar panel
system. By combining data from multiple sensors, it is pos-
sible to build a comprehensive monitoring system that can
detect and address any issues with the solar panel system,
and optimize its performance.
The proposed system comprises of solar panel, sensor,
actuator, PV inverter, raspberry pi, and cloud server.
Figure 2 It is necessary to check the angle of orientation
of the panel as well as the corresponding voltage. To man-
age all these devices with a system needs some advanced
techniques. Figure 2 depicts the overall miniature block
diagram of the proposed system. Tamil Nadu, an Indian
state, is situated in the Northern Hemisphere’s hot zone
between latitudes 8 and 13 N and 78 and 80 E. longitudes.
The surface temperature of the solar panel is measured
using a temperature sensor (DHT11). Current and voltage
from the panels are measured using the MAX471. In
accordance with the location of the sun, PV solar trackers
or actuators settings change the orientation of the panel.
The solar cell generates maximum power output from
the sunlight when the light angle and solar cell are perpen-

dicular to each other. (90 ) Therefore, when the light angle

is lesser or greater than 90 then it will generate a power
output lower than the maximum power output. Light angle
lesser or greater than means, some portion of the light fall-
ing is reflected and cannot be utilized for power generation
that is the reason to track the sunlight and arrange the axis
for the maximum power. Optimum energy is taken in
when the solar panel is kept parallel to the sun, reducing
the amount of light that is expressed. The installed PV
panel is to be arranged more vertically during winter to
arrest most of the irradiance and more tilted during sum-
mer to optimize the output. A PV inverter is used to
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
FIGURE 2. General IoT solar panel block diagram.
convert the DC output from the panel/battery into AC out-
put. This output then flows into the electrical grid. While
designing an inverter, it needs to withstand the maximum
voltage, current, and power generated by the panels. The
inverter’s rating was chosen since it exceeds the panel’s
greatest possible power.
2.1.1. Internet of Things Initialization. Sensors, actuators,
software, network resources, data gathering and analysis
services are just a few of the sophisticated software, hard-
ware, and deployment architectures that may be found in
the Internet of Things. To design an IoT-based system,
integration of software and hardware elements like sensors,
actuators, and cloud services is important. The characteris-
tics of objects and connections between items are described
in the IoT domain model. (e.g., solar panel voltage, irradi-
ance, axis tracker, etc.). The functional group is used to
gather detailed data utilizing sensors and perform actuation
using actuators.
Two virtual entities—one for the solar panel variables
and the other for the panel output—are present in the sug-
gested system. It has a number of autonomous end nodes
that combine sensing with actuation. Both the programme
and the data are kept on the cloud. The system uses several
nodes dispersed across various areas to track the solar pan-
el’s temperature, current, voltage, and irradiation. Numerous
sensors are installed in the end nodes. A web-based socket
5
services are employed to send data from the end nodes to the
controllers in real time. The FG gadget comes with solar
light sensors, a voltage-divider circuit, current sensors, and
single-board mini-computers. It encompasses communica-
tions standards that provide connectivity to networks and
serve as the foundation of IoT systems. The suggested sys-
tem uses a REST based communications API. Services
including devices tracking, device control, data publication,
and discovering devices are included in the service oper-
ational category Figure 3.
Raspberry Pi is like a microprocessor and Arduino is
like a microcontroller. Both are accessible by computer by
connecting it with Laptop/PC. Raspberry pi is the promin-
ent choice for interfacing with IoT. Raspberry pi supports
C/Cþþ, and Python 2/3 and also can support interpreting
any language with Raspberry OS. It is a low-cost computer
that uses the Linux operating system and offers a number
of common input/output (GPIO) pins for controlling devi-
ces like IoT. Raspbian OS is like Linux which needs to
install in a memory card and fix it with Raspberry Board.
ESP8266 is a processor as well as for Wi-Fi connectivity.
In Raspberry Board, it is simple to connect with Wi-Fi and
send the data, run the program, and save it to a cloud ser-
ver. You may interface with a Raspberry Pi wirelessly
from a machine using MATLAB or using MATLAB
OnlineTM in a web browser. This is made possible via the
MATLABV R Support Package for Raspberry PiTM
6 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0
FIGURE 3. IoT design component architecture.
Hardware. The Raspberry Pi may be used to collect infor-
mation from sensor and devices for imaging, which can
then be processed in MATLAB. Additionally, use the
GPIO, serial, I2C, and SPI pins to interact with other
electronics.
ESP8266 has a CPU, RAM, wi-fi network, and also an
operating system. So, it is a good option for IoT. It is the
merge point between the processor and the cloud server.
There are lots of cloud servers available like Microsoft
Azure, amazon web services, Google Cloud,
ThingSpeak, etc.,
2.1.2. Axis Tracker-Actuator. A solar panel tracking device
that rotates a solar panel vertically in order to monitor the
sun’s path over the sky is known as a horizontally oriented
solar trackers. The solar panel’s orientation is changed by
the tracker to maximize the solar panel’s exposure to light
after sensors measure the sun’s location.
The sun’s position is detected using sensors: A horizon-
tal axis solar tracker typically uses light sensors or photo-
voltaic cells to detect the sun’s positions in the sky. These
sensors estimate the azimuth and elevations angle of the
sun by detecting the angle of reflections of the sun’s
beams. The solar panel’s position is changed: The solar
panel’s orientation is changed to maximize its reach of
sunlight after the location of the sun has been determined.
To track the sun’s path across the sky, a vertical rotation
of the solar panel along an axis at the center is used. The
angle of rotation is calculated using trigonometry:
Trigonometry is used to determine the needed rotational
angle to change the orientation of the solar panel. The
angle of rotation may be calculated using the equation
below:
h ¼ tan 1 ½ð cos u  cos d  cos xÞ þ ð sin u  sin dÞ
where:h ¼ the angle of rotation required to adjust the solar
panel’s orientationu ¼ the latitude of the location where
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
the solar panel is installedd ¼ the declination angle of the
sun, which changes throughout the yearx ¼ the hour angle
of the sun, which changes throughout the day.
The horizontal axis solar trackers can boost the amount
of energy produced by the solar panel by continuously
altering the position of the panel to follow the sun’s path
across the sky. This might raise the solar panel’s total out-
put and boost its effectiveness.
Before designing the Solar axis tracker, we have to
understand the concept behind the angle of inclination. The
Sun position algorithm (SPA) can be depending on the lati-
tudes, longitudes, altitude, place, and date of the sun’s path
on the Earth.
Using the below formula, we can find out the sunrise
and sunset solar times.

cost and less reliability of dual axis tracker, it is also not
hrise,sol ¼ 12  ð180=15PÞ cos 1 ð tan d: tan uÞ (1)


hset,sol ¼ 12 þ ð180=15PÞ cos 1 ð tan d: tan uÞ (2)
Then Convert from solar to local time by deducting the
equation of time difference instead of adding it.
hrise ¼ hrise,sol –Dt (3)
hset ¼ hset,sol –Dt (4)
Algorithm steps:

At starting sunrise time, the solar panel is fixed at
þ30 degrees.

For every hour, the panel movement increases 10
degrees from the east direction to the west direction
can capture maximum irradiance.

At noon, 90 degrees orientation with the sun are pos-
sible with this arrangement.

Consider the optimum tilt angle which is calculated as
latitude minus 15 in summer and adding 15 in
winter.
Figure 4 there are different kinds of panel arrangements
available. Fixed axis panel no movement in its initial pos-
ition. A horizontal solar axis tracker, or HSAT, travels con-
tinuously from east to west along a single stable axis.
VSAT refers to a vertical axis tracker which moves verti-
cally to the ground. The study revealed that moving verti-
cally or horizontally can merely same and the last one is
cost-effective. The complexity level of the horizontal axis
tracker is low. Actuators are responsible to accompany this
work as per the program schedule. a linear actuator is mov-
ing at 3 mm/sec. Solar irradiance value will be varying
depends on the position of the panel.
The principal azimuth axis of an azimuth-altitude dou-
ble-axis tracker, or AADAT, is horizontal to the ground.
7
Then, normally, the secondary axis, also known as an ele-
vation axis, is normal to the principal azimuth axis.
Figure 3 shows how effectively the axis tracking can
get energy in a typical day. The graph displays the result
comparison between the horizontal single-axis, vertical sin-
gle-axis, and altazimuth dual-axis tracker with the fixed
solar panel. From the comparison, of the horizontal and
vertical axis tracker, both performances are slightly nearby
values. There is a difference of 0.12 KWh between HSAT
and VSAT. But the design complexity and cost are higher
in the vertical solar axis tracker than in HSAT.
Compared with dual-axis tracker output with the hori-
zontal single axis, 0.96 times deviation is there. But, a
horizontal single-axis tracker is 1.42 times more energy-
producing than fixed solar panels. Because of the higher
fit for the system.
3. WHALE OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM
The WOA can be very useful to optimize complex prob-
lems. The Whale Optimization Algorithm is utilized to
obtain maximum or minimum value from an objective
function called optimum value [26]. It is a brand-new algo-
rithm for solving optimization issues. It has three operators
to represent the pursuit of prey, encircling of prey, and
whale bubble-net foraging. All three processes can be used
to search for the maximum prey or food in the sea. This
phenomenon is applied for finding the optimum power
from the solar panels corresponding to the tracking angle.
Here, in the above results, we can easily compare the
right algorithm to adopt for our problem. Grey Wolf
Optimizer, Moth Flame Optimizer, Whale Optimizer, and
enhanced whale optimizer are the four-optimization tool to
compare an engineering problem [27,28]. In these four, the
result received from the whale optimizer can produce the
more fast convergence for the given input values.
Enhanced produces the output even before the 100th iter-
ation. And, the moth flame optimizer produces the best
value at the 1000th iteration. Also, the grey wolf optimizer
produces the best optimal value 400th iteration. By compar-
ing all these results, Whale optimized only produces the
very opted result for the given problem with some good
convergence.
Figure 5 the axis tracker can be controlled by a motor
that will control the axis of the panel with the sunlight
rays. The control activity is converted into a movement to
tilt on either a single axis or a dual axis. Solar panels
should be aligned with some typical angle for the summer
8 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0

FIGURE 4. Daily and annual energy yield of Fixed, HSAT, VSAT, AADAT.
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
FIGURE 5. GWO, MFO, E-WOA, WOA optimization iteration result.
period starting from March to August. Then, from
September to February, the angle will be varied.
In the summer period, the angle of the horizontal axis
tracker can be varied for every hour from sunrise to sunset.
The movement will be applicable for this period only. In
the winter period, the angle is slightly modified from the
summer period. An initial set of randomly selected answers
to the given problem are used in this approach. Here, the
hunting action of humpback whales is used to track the
optimum power obtained from the solar panels. For any
optimization problem, it needs one or two objective func-
tions. Here, the duty cycle is an element that decides the
optimal voltage and current. Figure 6 the duty cycle always
9
lies between 0 and 1. Cr is the random coefficient vector.
When the magnitude of C is greater than 1 means, the
prey-searching process starts in the area.
amn ðr þ 1Þ ¼ ar C  amn (5)
ar¼ Duty cycle random value;amn(r þ 1) ¼Duty cycle at
(r þ 1);amn¼ nth whale-mth agent
Search method:
Each iteration updates the locations of the search agents
in relation to either the best solution found or a search
agent selected at random. In the next step, WOA points out
the prey/food. During this operation, the magnitude of C is
less than 1.
10 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0

FIGURE 6. Whale optimization algorithm process – flow chart.

amn ¼ A  aopt ðrÞ  amn ðrÞ (6) Where L and Rc are random numbers. (1<L > 1).
When a random search agent is selected, (jaj>1) When
amn ðr þ 1Þ ¼ aopt  amn ðrÞ (7) choosing the optimal course of action, (jaj < 1) for
th updating search agents’ positions. Because a refers to the
r iteration can give the optimal value of the Duty cycle.
Lastly, while attacking the prey, whales can either move duty cycle and it must be between 0 (failure of attack-
in circular or linear. Any one kind of movement is possible ing/no good angle for maximum power) and 1(prey for
at the time of the attack. whale received/maximum power obtained at the angle).
amn ðr þ 1Þ ¼ aopt ðrÞC  amn ifRc < 0:5 (8) There will be a change in angle variation as per the con-
trol algorithm. The objective function is taken from the
amn ðr þ 1Þ ¼ amn emLcosð2PÞ þ aopt ðrÞifRc ¼> 0:5 (9) power equation of solar panels.
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation 11

FIGURE 7. Whale optimization iteration result.

placed on the west side of the panel which has an optimal

position. In a single month, it can take readings of 5 for
every day (best values), Then it analyzes the values of total
readings with the best values compared Figure 7.
The single-axis trackers can improve the efficiency by
about 1.3 times and dual-axis trackers can improve add-
itional 0.05 times. Figure 8 shows the whale optimization
toolbox to extract the solar panel angle from the objective
function. In the above Figure 8, WOA can give the result
proportional to the solar panel’s maximum suitable position
with the sun. Other optimization algorithms can get a lesser
or greater value than the WOA. Therefore, WOA is
selected for the solar panel’s axis orientation in order to
generate the optimal values of the angles.
FIGURE 8. MATLAB result optimization algorithm with
Cloud-based platform:
solar panel position with the sun.
The cloud-based platform is the backbone of the system,
Objective function: which stores and analyses the data gathered from the IoT
sensor. It should be compatible with the microcontroller
FðOÞ ¼ Pmax (10) and support actual monitoring and solar panel systems con-
trols. There are several cloud-based platforms available
FðOÞ ¼ Vmax  Imax (11) that can be used to monitor a solar panel associated to the
IoT. The choice of platform will depend on various factors
 such as scalability, security, flexibility, cost, and ease of
S ¼ S0 þ ðIkþ1  Ik1 Þ  ð0:3Þ (12)
use. Here are some popular cloud-based platforms used for
Where ‘S’ is the light intensity and S0 is the initial IoT-based solar panel monitoring:
intensity. Ikþ1 is a sensor placed on the east side of the Cloud-based monitoring algorithms have become an
panel which has an optimal position. Ik1 is a sensor essential part of Internet of Things (IoT) systems,
12 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0

particularly for those that use solar panels to generate Solar

energy. These algorithms enable remote monitoring and Panel Sun Accuracy Error
control of solar panel systems through a cloud-based plat- Time (IST) position position (%) (%)
form. Cloud-based monitoring algorithms are software pro-
6.00 am 30 29 0.970 0.030
grams that collect and analyze data from IoT sensors in 7.00 am 40 35 0.858 0.142
real-time. The sensors collect data from solar panel sys- 8.00 am 50 45 0.889 0.111
tems, such as the amount of energy generated, current and 9.00 am 60 60 1.000 0.000
voltage levels, and temperature. The information is then 10.00 am 70 75 0.334 0.666
11.00 am 80 83 0.964 0.036
sent to a cloud-based structure, where machine learning
12.00 pm 90 90 1.000 0.000
techniques are used for storing and evaluating it. The 13.00 pm 100 108 0.926 0.074
research finds trends and abnormalities, giving information 14.00 pm 110 115 0.957 0.043
on how well the solar panel system is working. 15.00 pm 120 125 0.960 0.040
1. Data collection: The first step is to collect data from 16.00 pm 130 140 0.930 0.070
the solar panel system. IoT sensors are used to measure 17.00 pm 140 145 0.966 0.034
several variables, like energy generation, voltages and 18.00 pm 150 149 0.993 0.007
currents levels, and temperature. The sensors transmit TABLE 1. Solar panel axis tracking actuation – Accuracy with
this data into the cloud-based platform where it is the Sun angle orientation.
stored and analyzed.
2. Data analysis: The data collected is analyzed using
machine learning algorithms to analyze patterns and PV avail.
anomalies. For example, if the data shows that the PV avail. KWh Horizontal
energy output of the solar panel system is lower than Incident KWh axis panel
expected, the algorithm can identify the cause of the KWh/m2/day Fixed panel with WOA
issue and suggest solutions. Jan. 5.9 228.7 318.8
3. Real-time monitoring: Cloud-based monitoring provides Feb. 6.4 221.6 311.8
real-time monitoring of solar panel systems. Users can Mar. 6.3 242.5 339.5
access the data from anywhere with an internet Apr. 5.6 209.2 292.7
connection, allowing them to keep track of the May 4.9 187.8 262.2
performance of their solar panel system at all times. June 4.2 156.6 218.7
The platform can send alerts if the system is not July 4.2 163.4 228.3
performing as expected, allowing users to take Aug. 4.4 167.5 233.9
Sep. 5.1 259.4 363.2
corrective actions quickly.
Oct. 4.6 177.2 248.2
4. Remote control: Cloud-based monitoring also enables Nov. 4.4 162.2 227.2
remote control of solar panel systems. For example, Dec. 4.5 171.7 240.6
users can adjust the angle of the solar panels to Year 5.0 2347.8 3285.1
optimize energy generation or turn off certain devices
TABLE 2. Solar Energy generation for 1.5 KW panel.
to reduce energy consumption. This remote-control
feature makes it easy to manage solar panel systems
from anywhere, without needing to be on-site. ThingSpeak provides an open API that allows easy inte-
ThingSpeak is an open sources platform of the IoT that gration with IoT devices. This makes it easy to connect
provides a range of services for data collection, analysis, IoT-based horizontal-axis solar panels to the platform for
and visualization. It provides scalable infrastructure for data collection and analysis. ThingSpeak provides a range
data storage, processing, and analysis. It also offers secur- of data visualization tools, including graphs, gauges, and
ity features such as encryption and monitoring. ThingSpeak maps. This makes it easy to visualize the data collected
is a popular open-source cloud platform that provides from the solar panels and identify any patterns or anoma-
online cloud monitoring of IoT based horizontal axis solar lies. ThingSpeak supports real-time data processing, allow-
panels. It offers a range of services for data collection, ana- ing users to monitor the solar panels in real-time. This
lysis, and visualization, making it an effective platform for enables prompt detection of any solar panel faults and
solar panel monitoring. Here are some features of prompts remedial action. ThingSpeak is a scalable platform
ThingSpeak that make it effective for online cloud moni- that can handle large amounts of data from multiple IoT
toring of IoT-based horizontal axis solar panels: devices. This makes it an effective platform for solar panel
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
FIGURE 9. Fixed solar panel average annual energy yield response.
monitoring, especially in large-scale projects. ThingSpeak
is an open-source platform, which means that users can
customize it to suit their specific needs. This makes it an
attractive option for users who want more control over
their monitoring system
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The system needs internet access to allow connections
between the system of solar panels and the cloud-based
platforms. Depending on where the system is located and
the infrastructure that is accessible, this can be accom-
plished over a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular connection. A
solar panel linked to the IoT may be monitored via a var-
iety of communication techniques. The choice of connec-
tions can be influenced by a number of variables, including
cost, power consumption, bandwidth needs, and distance. It
is necessary to simulate the panel and find the right place
to install the setup. Then, the calculation is made for that
location regarding the solar incident for the particular day/-
month/year. Tables 1 and 2 values, it is verified against the
demand of the load. Demand and PV availability are
13
verified and excess energy can be connected to the grid
system.
Figures 9 and 10 show the response obtained from the
fixed panel and horizontal tracker panel. From the fixed
panel 2327 KWh of power is generated in a year. The
angle taken for the fixed panel is 450 degrees and the azi-
muth angle is 00 degrees. And, for the horizontal tracker,
the resultant power generated about 3285 KWh in the same
typical year.
Table 1 explains the accuracy and error of the algorith-
mic result. For the different periods, there is a difference
between the actual solar angle and with panel angle com-
pared. The installed panel can track the error in the angle
that can be followed. In the future, the error will get mini-
mized. The electricity produced by the solar panel over the
course of the entire year is shown in Table 2. It is esti-
mated using a house’s typical daily use of 4.00 KWh. The
installed capacity of 1.5 KW can produce an average power
of about 4.97 kWh of energy in the day. LOL refers to
Loss of Loads. This number represents the probability that
the requirements of the user cannot be met. There may be
a loss due to shading and other effects are possible.
14 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0

FIGURE 10. Horizontal axis solar panel and its average annual energy yield.

An average of 5 KWh power was generated from the
panel. The device and components used here are
Raspberry Pi minicomputer and Sensor. The creation of
an application for the Internet of Things to manage the
suggested system is the last phase in the IoT design pro-
cess. Figure 11 shows a screenshot of the smart solar PV
web application. The application has controlled the mode
(auto-on or auto-off) and logging data of monitoring
parameters. The horizontal tracking system can move
from 30 degrees to 120 degrees. The horizontal axis
tracker produces an energy value greater than the fixed
axis panel.
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation 15

FIGURE 11. Hardware setup to verify the result from the board.

FIGURE 12. Application screenshot.

In the auto mode, the IoT system controls and extracts
the data from the panel automatically. The performance
parameters are drawn as a graph and can be verified for
the different values at different time intervals Figure 12.
The suggested temperature of the solar panels under
normal conditions is 27  C. For increase in the irradiance
can be directly proportional to the power generation. And,
the rise in temperature above the standard conditions can
indirectly affect the performance of the panel readings.
ThingSpeak is an effective platform for online cloud
16 Electric Power Components and Systems, Vol. 0 (2023), No. 0

FIGURE 13. Solar panel irradiance, temperature, mean power, mean voltage, duty cycle.
 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation
FIGURE 14. Solar panel performance comparison.
monitoring of IoT-based horizontal axis solar panels. Its
easy integration with IoT devices, data visualization tools,
real-time data processing, scalability, and open-source
nature make it a popular choice among users.
During the given operating time, the temperature
changes frequently from low to high and high to low, and
also solar radiation varies according to environmental con-
ditions Figure 13. It’s expected the maximum power gener-
ation results from the solar panel which is nearly close to
the standard rating of PV. After 10.50 am the generated
voltage reaches a stable value and the corresponding irradi-
ance is also steady at maximum for the temperature of
30  C. The Solar PV app can be used to record and view
the data from the panels.
Figure 14 250 W solar panel (6  250) can be taken for
analysis purposes and various meteorological, and electrical
data collected in different time frames. As per power
requirements and solar generation, its consumer can choose
on-grid/off-grid panels.
5. CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the utilization of new technology in renew-
able energy, particularly in solar photovoltaic systems, has
greatly improved performance and efficiency. The integra-
tion of sensors and actuators, along with IoT and cloud
computing, enables real-time data collection, storage, and
analysis, facilitating effective monitoring of solar energy
systems. The Raspberry Pi acts as a central interface
between the hardware and the data server, enabling seam-
less communication and control. The use of horizontal axis
trackers, coupled with the WOA algorithm, offers a cost-
effective approach to maximize solar energy generation.
By optimizing the panel angle based on weather conditions,
the trackers can significantly increase energy output com-
pared to fixed panels. Temperature variations are also
considered to ensure accurate power generation estimates.
17
The simulation results, analyzed using tools like Matlab-
Thingspeak data explorer, demonstrate a substantial
increase in solar energy production with horizontal axis
trackers, achieving an impressive 142% efficiency com-
pared to the fixed panel’s 100%. This underscores the
importance of implementing advanced algorithms and
tracking mechanisms in solar energy systems to extract the
maximum potential from renewable resources.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
There is no acknowledgement involved in this work.
AUTHORSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS
All authors are contributed equally to this work.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the
authors.
ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO
PARTICIPATE
No participation of humans takes place in this implementa-
tion process.
FUNDING
No funding is involved in this work.
HUMAN AND ANIMAL RIGHTS
No violation of Human and Animal Rights is involved.
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets
were generated or analyzed during the current study.
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 Magudeswaran and Sakthivel: Internet of Things Based Horizontal Axis Tracking Solar Panel Performance Evaluation 19

BIOGRAPHIES P. Sakthivel is working as a Professor and Head of EEE

at Velalar College of Engineering and Technology, Erode.
P. Magudeswaran is working as an Assistant Professor of
He completed his Ph.D. at Anna University, Chennai in the
EEE at Vivekanandha College of Engineering for Women-
field of VLSI circuits at the Faculty of Electrical
Tiruchengode. He completed his B.E. degree in Electrical and
Engineering, Anna University, Chennai. He is a profes-
Electronics Engineering from Anna University, India in 2010
sional member of IEEE, CSI, ISTE, etc., and his research
and his M.E. degree in Power Electronics and Drives from
work includes VLSI, Renewable Energy, and Embedded
Anna University, India, in 2015. He has professional member-
system.
ship in ISTE, IAENG, and his research interests include renew-
able energy, the Internet of Things, and Embedded systems.