Project Summary

My project is to determine whether or not a moveable solar panel that tracks the sun can generate more energy than a stationary solar panel. First, I will set up both a stationary device and one that I can manually rotate every so often throughout the day, so that it will receive sunlight during all hours of daylight. Due to the fact that solar panels use the photoelectric effect to convert light to energy, I will be able to measure the voltage output from each panel and perform some calculations to find the power generated. Then I can compare the efficiency of the two solar panels and if the rotating solar panel proves to be more efficient, then I can create a design that will automatically rotate the device. The design will be an important part of the experiment because, in order for the mobile solar panel to be beneficial, it must use the minimal amount of energy to rotate.