Publications

Title: Design and Implementation of an Automated Self- Cleaning Solar Panel using Microcontroller
Author(s): Eng. Kalyankolo Umaru, Aryamanya Edwin, Enerst Edozie
Year 2021
Publisher: International Journal of Engineering and Information Systems
URI: https://publications.kiu.ac.ug/publication-page.php?i=design-and-implementation-of-an-automated-self-cleaning-solar-panel-using-microcontroller
File: PDF
Keywords: Microcontroller Solar panel Battery Self-cleaning

Over the past years, Uganda has seen a large increase in the reliance on solar power as a source of energy. Solar energy as a mode of power generation is said to be a cost-effective source of off-grid energy as opposed to the conventional way where huge capital investments have to be made in putting up transmission and distribution networks. This paper aim to design an embedded real time and a low cost system based on Microcontroller for an automated self-cleaning solar panel. The panel detects the presence of an obstruction shading a cell, and actuates a cleaning mechanism that cleans off the obstruction and, therefore, restores the panel to normal capacity. This system is powered via 12V battery, this battery is charged by solar power when the cleaning mechanism is idle and automatically cut-off when the battery is fully charged.