Solar panels are generally fixed in one position, determined by the greatest amount of posisble sunlight that can be received in a certain area. However as the Earth rotates around the sun, a lot of solar energy isn't harnessed to the fullest amount. This problem can be solved by creating a solar panel system that can track sunlight.
One miniature example of this has been demosntrated by Instructables member diegoch2001 who shows that the sun can be tracked by using five light sensors, and an Arduino to measure the ambient light level from each sensor and determine the strongest area for sunlight. With this information the solar panel can then be rotated for maximum effectiveness.
Apart from experimenting wtih solar power, this would be a neat school project or prototype for other directional light-sensing devices. To learn how, visit the project page. And for more, we're on facebook, Google+, and twitter - so follow us for news and product updates as well.
Have you been reading about Arduino and would like to understand more so you can work with projects like the example above, but not sure where to start? Then order one of our Experimenter's Kit for Arduino - as used in many classroom and learning environments:
The package includes a wide variety of parts, sensors and modules including: a servo motor, lights, buttons, switches, sound, sensors, breadboard, wires and more. Furthermore a Freetronics Eleven Arduino-compatible board is included to make this an extensive hobby experimenter, inventor and starter kit.
However we don't leave you alone to figure it all out, included is a great project and instruction booklet, plus access to a supporting web page and software examples. In other words - this is everything you need to get started for a fun range of electronics and Arduino related projects! So to get started or for more information and to order, check out the product page.
