Rationale and Idea Sources

Due to the global push to move towards renewable energy sources over the past decade, an increasing amount of research has gone into studying different options. Solar energy is currently one of the most utilized forms of renewable energy and there have been several studies considering efficient power generation using the sun as an energy source. Many of these have included solar tracking for the most optimal capture of energy as the sun moves across the sky during a given day. The issue, however, is that most of these systems are quite expensive and intended for use on a larger-scale. Our designed system provides a smarter alternative for those requiring sustainable energy generation and power conservation on a smaller scale. As opposed to existing research and commercial solutions in this area, our solution comes at much lower price-point (around $100) and involves specific features for power conservation that do not seem to be integrated with most commercial solar tracking and power generation systems.

Logical Structure

Existing Patents

• US4307711A: Sun tracking solar energy collector system

  This patent covers a large solar tracking and energy capturing system, similar to ours but targeted at a much larger scale (powering a home, for example). The patent also covers the technology used within the solar panel to capture and convert the energy into a usable form.

• US7569764B2: Solar modules with tracking and concentrating features

  This patent covers a solar tracking and energy capturing system with two degrees of freedom. The patent also covers the technology used within the solar panel to capture and convert the energy into a usable form.

• US4771764A: Water-borne azimuth-altitude tracking solar concentrators

  This patent covers a solar tracking and energy conversion system that is waterborne. The patent is specifically for a system that is floating.