Design and development of mechanical solar tracker

Solar tracking systems today rely heavily on microcontrollers, and, in turn, requires knowledge about electromechanical system to setup and maintain. They also require a substantial initial financial investment, deterring majority consumer grade solar panel users from utilising the benefits of a tracked system, especially in rural areas where the higher efficiency would prove to be significantly beneficial. In lieu of that, a complete mechanical system was envisioned and tested to mitigate the entry barrier to solar tracking systems, both in terms of price and complexity. The final product increases efficiency by approximately 28% and can be built within a budget of 1200 Thai Baht.